INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
Sher Mohammad Abbas Stanikzai, deputy foreign minister of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, on Tuesday called on countries to play an
active role in ensuring peace and security in Afghanistan, and in the development of its economy.Stanikzai made the remarks during a
ceremony to inaugurate a new power supply network at Balkh airport.&As Afghans played a key role in liberating the region, and did not allow
outsiders to have a permanent base… now it is the moral obligation of all countries including in the region to play their part,& Stanikzai
said.The new power supply network at the Balkh airport has been made possible with the financial and technical assistance of
Uzbekistan.Esmatullah Ergashev, special representative of Uzbekistan&s president for Afghanistan, said that his country would continue to
support Afghanistan.&Our relations with the current government did not start a year ago
Our first meeting with the leadership of the Taliban movement (IEA) was in the mid 1990s
Since then, Uzbekistan government has tried to help the Afghan people attain peace and stability,& Ergashev said.Meanwhile, government
officials welcomed Uzbekistan&s assistance to develop Balkh airport.Hamidullah Akhund, the minister of transport, said that Uzbekistan&s
technical team repaired the lighting system, runway and technical section of the airport, and established a new 20 KV power substation.He
said that the airport is ready for domestic and international flights.The post Stanikzai urges countries to play active role in Afghanistan
security, economy first appeared on Ariana News.
