Regional security officials meet on Afghanistan

ATLANTA (Pajhwok): High-ranking security officials of neighbouring and regional countries have met in Beshkek on the current situation in Afghanistan.

TASS newsy agency reported officials from China, India, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan participated in the 6th Regional Dialogue of Security Council secretaries/national security advisers on Afghanistan on Friday.

Russia’s Security Council Secretary Nikolay Patrushev blamed the US and its allies for the current situation in Afghanistan.

He claimed during 20 years of US presence, about 20 international terrorist organisations were fielding over 23,000 militants in Afghanistan.

He said: "When the West and the United States left Afghanistan, they left huge weapons there, with which this country remained as an improvised mine.”

The official added: "Nowadays, these weapons are being used to ramp up fighting between intra-Afghan groups; they are sold on the black market and end up in the hands of terrorists in third countries."

He called the weapons a serious threat to the security of regional countries.

The caretaker government of Afghanistan has not yet commented on this statement. Previously, however, Kabul has rejected such claims.

India’s Deputy National Security Adviser Vikram Misri told the meeting his country had helped Afghanistan in difficult situations.

He said India had a presence on almost 500 projects in Afghanistan spread across each of the 34 provinces in areas of power, water supply, road connectivity, healthcare, education, agriculture and capacity building.

India had invested more than three billion US dollars in the welfare of the people of Afghanistan, he was quoted as saying by Indian media.

He voiced concern about drug trafficking in Afghanistan and said they would work with the United Nations to address the issue.

Over last few days, it was the second meeting on Afghanistan to be hosted by Kyrgyzstan’s capital.

kk/mud