INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
Amir Khan Muttaqi, acting Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA), held a video conference with Sardor
Umurzakov, Deputy Prime-Minister and Minister of Investments and Foreign Trade of Uzbekistan on Wednesday afternoon, to discuss
strengthening trade and transit relations.According to the Afghan ministry of foreign affairs, the two sides discussed the expansion of
trade, transit and transport between Afghanistan and Uzbekistan, as well as the finalization of the roadmap for cooperation between the two
countries and the Tirmaz-Mazar-e-Sharif-Kabul-Peshawar railway plan.At the meeting the IEA&s acting foreign minister stated that Central
Asian countries, especially the Republic of Uzbekistan, have an important place in the Afghanistan&s foreign policy and that Afghanistan
seeks a high level of cooperation with all of them.Umurzakov meanwhile said his country was ready to convene the final meeting of the
Tirmaz-Mazar-e-Sharif-Kabul-Peshawar railway project, but recent developments in the region have delayed this, the IEA&s foreign ministry
said.Muttaqi also said that work is ongoing between the relevant departments of the Afghan government to finalize the railway plan, and
assured his Uzbek counterpart that the final version will be shared with Uzbekistan soon.Umurzakov also welcomed the recent progress on the
roadmap for co-operation between the two countries, stressing that this plan would be finalized in the near future.Muttaqi meanwhile also
stressed the need to continue negotiations to finalize a roadmap for cooperation between the two countries.The post IEA and Uzbekistan
officials discuss expanding trade, transit and transport ties first appeared on Ariana News.
