Date for Tashkent conference on Afghanistan announced

By Elena Teslova

MOSCOW

An international conference on Afghanistan is set to be held on March 26-27 in the Uzbek capital, Tashkent, Russian Foreign Ministry announced on Thursday.

Speaking at a news conference in Moscow, Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zaharova said Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov will participate in the conference.

Security and regional cooperation are on the agenda, Zaharova said.

“Main purpose of meeting is to form a wide international consensus on fundamental principles of Afghan settlement and involvement of Afghanistan into trade, transit, energetic, cultural and humanitarian cooperation in Central Asia and beyond,” she said.

The conference in Tashkent is part of international community’s efforts to end the conflict in Afghanistan.

Turkey is expected to participate in the conference as well.

Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev had requested Turkish President Recep Tayip Erdogan to send a delegation to the conference during his talks with him over the phone in February.