Lavrov to lead Russian delegation at ministerial conference of countries neighboring Afghanistan in Samarkand on April 13

MOSCOW. April 7 (Interfax) - Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov will lead the Russian delegation at the 4th ministerial conference of countries neighboring Afghanistan (Russia, China, Iran, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan) scheduled for April 13 in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, the Russian Foreign Ministry said on Friday.

The meeting participants plan to discuss "further steps of regional partners to promote an Afghan political settlement and stabilization of the humanitarian and socioeconomic situation in that country," the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement on its website.

"Taking into account the complicated security situation, growing terrorist activity, and narcotic drug production in Afghanistan, coordination of counterterrorist and anti-narcotic efforts of the countries of the region is particularly essential," it said.

Special attention "will be paid to the dynamics of the development of regional economic integration and the implementation of transport and energy projects involving Kabul in keeping with agreements reached earlier," it said.