TASHKENT, Uzbekistan: Uzbek President Islam Karimov and Prime Minister of Pakistan, Muhammad Nawaz Sharif have expressed their concerns over security situation in Afghanistan, calling it an serious issue for the entire region.
Pakistani Prime Minister who arrived on Tuesday in Tashkent on an official visit, discussed the situation in Afghanistan, as well as issues related to the process of entering Pakistan in SCO with Uzbek President Islam Karimov.
“The establishment of peace and stability in Afghanistan through peaceful negotiations based on international consensus is our common opinion”, said Karimov during his meeting with Sharif.
According to the president of Uzbekistan, Afghanistan remained “a geopolitical area, which affects not only the inner circle, but also in the CIS.”
Pakistani Prime Minister, in turn, noted the desire of the two countries to develop cooperation to promote stability in Afghanistan and Central Asia as a whole through the implementation of regional projects in the field of transport infrastructure.
Karimov said that Uzbekistan at the post of the Chairman of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) “pays great attention to the commencement of the acceptance of India and Pakistan as a permanent member of the SCO,” which was launched in July at the summit of the Organization in Ufa.
“Under these conditions, we have developed a plan of action, the so-called road map (on the accession of India and Pakistan to the SCO ), Which is under consideration of all stakeholders”, – said the President of Uzbekistan.
Following the talks, both sides also signed a joint declaration and a series of documents aimed at expanding bilateral economic and political relations.
Pakistani Prime Minister will visit Samarkand on Wednesday t see historic building of Registan, and will also pay visit to Imom Bukhari Mausoleum. He will back same day to Tashkent.
It may be mentioned that Pakistan is now a full member of the Shanghai Corporation Organisation (SCO) that includes Russia, China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. While Belarus, Mongolia and Iran have observer status. Tenth July SCO launched the procedure of admission to the organization of India and Pakistan. Now Uzbekistan is holding chairmanship of SCO that was transferred to Uzbekistan in Ufa Summit.
At a banquet, Pakistani Prime Minister was of the view that Pakistan wanted to construct infrastructure corridor along with central Asian States.
Pakistan has taken steps against terrorism, extremism. Peace and stability in Afghanistan is vital for region. Terrorism has nothing to do with Islam, said Sharif.
Sharif stressed the need to promote cooperation in fields of defence, Economy and energy and said that Pakistan wants friendly ties with neighboring countries including Afghanistan, India.
