Uzbekistan says regional stability depends on Afghanistan’s integration — Pajhwok

KABUL (Pajhwok): Javlon Vakhabov, an adviser to Uzbekistan’s president, has announced a two-day meeting on Afghanistan and regional security in Norway, saying lasting regional stability depends on Afghanistan’s gradual participation in regional integration processes. In a post on X, Vakhabov said the meeting was organised by the Norwegian Centre for Conflict Resolution (NOREF) in Oslo, the Norwegian capital. Participants included Ismatullah Irgashev, Uzbekistan’s president’s special representative for Afghanistan; Rahmatullah Nurimbetov, Uzbekistan’s ambassador to Norway; Adil Gaffarov, deputy director of the Institute for Advanced International Studies at Uzbekistan’s University of World Economy and Diplomacy; and Norwegian representatives, he said. He added that participants discussed adopting more pragmatic policies towards engagement with Afghanistan and continuing dialogue on security, trade, energy, transit and regional connectivity. According to Vakhabov, the discussions aimed to explore how expanded cooperation with Afghanistan could serve countries’ shared interests and contribute to regional stability. He said he had shared Uzbekistan’s experiences in promoting peace and good-neighbourly relations with the participants. Vakhabov reiterated Uzbekistan’s belief that lasting regional stability could only be achieved through Afghanistan’s gradual participation in regional integration processes. He described the meeting as a promising start to expanding bilateral dialogue and expressed hope that such discussions would continue regularly in the future.