3 nations pledge continued aid to Bamyan

BAMYAN CITY (PAN, especially for the development of central Bamyan province, after the withdrawal of foreign troops in 2014.

Ambassadors from the three countries, who arrived in Bamyan City, the provincial capital, told a joint news conference they had held a series of meetings with local officials on how to improve coordination on their assistance to Bamyan.  

Turkish Ambassador Basat Öztürk said his country would never leave Bamyan dwellers alone and continue to help them well beyond the pullout of New Zealand troops.

“We will spare no effort to help Bamyan people live in peace. We are here to assure you that we are with you,” said Öztürk, who promised scholarships for Bamyan students.

For his part, Russian Ambassador Andrey Avetisyan said his country was committed to assisting Bamyan in years to come, with focus on culture and tourism industry development.

Speaking on the occasion, Indian Ambassador Gautam Mukhopadhaya came up with a similar pledge, saying New Delhi would continue to support Afghans in diverse fields.

Deputy Governor Mohammad Asif Mubaligh welcomed the visiting diplomats and thanked them for their cooperation.  “We appreciate the commitments of friendly countries and hope they will remain good friends of Afghans.”

mm/ma/mud