(MENAFN- Afghanistan Times) Liu Jinsong
Chinese Ambassador to Afghanistan
On 14 June, the
Council of Heads of Member States of Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO)
met in Bishkek. The Chinese and Afghan heads of states joined leaders of 18
other countries plus international and regional organizations got together on
strategies for regional development. In the declaration adopted therein, the
leaders identified resolution of the Afghan question as soon as possible as an
important factor for security and stability in their countries. The good will
expressed by all parties means new important opportunities for peace,
reconciliation, reconstruction and development in Afghanistan.
The direction for deepened China-Afghanistan cooperation
was identified. During the summit, Chinese
President Xi Jinping had a successful meeting with his Afghan
counterpart Ashraf Ghani, the fifth presidential bilateral between the two
countries during SCO summits since 2015. Xi congratulate Ghani on the 100th
anniversary of Afghan independence and wished Afghanistan peace, stability and
development at an early date. According to Xi, as a traditional friendly
neighbour and strategic partner, the Chinese side feels keenly the Afghan
people's sufferings from war and chaos and stands ready to constantly deepen
mutually-beneficial cooperation in all fields, steadily advance practical
projects of economic and trade collaboration and support enterprises of the two
countries to strengthen their cooperation on the basis of mutual benefit and
win-win within the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). China will,
as always, provide within the best of its capacity assistance for peace and
reconstruction in Afghanistan and help it build up its capacity to combat terrorism
and maintain stability. The role of the SCO-Afghanistan Liaison Group should be
given further play and empowered to play a constructive role in Afghanistan's
effort towards peace, reconciliation, stability and development by enhancing
cooperation in all fields. Ghani congratulated Xi on the 70th
anniversary of the founding of the PRC, thanked the Chinese side for the
positive role it plays in the Afghan peace and reconciliation process and
regional peace and stability, expressed the Afghan commitment to jointly crack
down on the 'three evil forces' including the Eastern Turkistan Islamic
Movement, and vowed to align the Afghan reconstruction and development planning
with the BRI and forge an even closer relationship of economic and trade
cooperation with China.
A further regional consensus on Afghan peace was fostered. In his speech at the summit, President Xi reiterated the Chinese
support to an extensive and inclusive Afghan reconciliation process and
promised to continue advocating through various channels peace and negotiation
and helping the Afghan people towards internal dialogues. The Chinese side
supports Afghanistan and Pakistan to improve their relations, enhance mutual
dialogue and develop cooperation and is poised to further deepen trilateral
cooperation with them. SCO members stressed that the Afghan national
reconciliation process should be Afghan led and owned and vowed to support the
political reconciliation process both bilaterally and within the
SCO-Afghanistan Liaison Group with a view to restoring peace and stability in
the country as soon as possible. Member states also called upon the
international community to create conditions for peace in Afghanistan at an
early date and support the UN's leading role in the international effort to
coordinate a resolution to the Afghan question and assist its reconciliation.
At the current critical stage in the reconciliation process, SCO's firm
commitment will be conducive to developing a regional consensus on Afghan
reconciliation and creating a stable surrounding environment for peace in the
country.
Strong support was provided for Afghanistan to combat
terrorism and maintain stability. In his speech
at the summit, Xi pointed out that as Afghanistan lives next to SCO members and
is an important observer, the SCO identifies itself with the Afghan people's
sufferings. Member states strongly condemn terrorism in any form and oppose
emphatically vindication of any terrorist or extremist act on any ground. As
the SCO members see it, terrorism should be addressed with combined measures,
through tightened suppression of terrorist philosophy and propaganda and on the
basis of identifying and eliminating factors fueling terrorism and extremism.
Counter-terrorism and -extremism must not be used as an excuse to interfere in
other countries' internal affairs, nor should terrorist, extremist or radical
organizations be used by any country for selfish interests. Member states
should strengthen anti-drug cooperation and prioritize the combat against
illegal farming, production, trafficking and proliferation of narcotic drugs,
psychotropic drugs and their precursors. SCO members support Afghanistan to be
an independent, neutral, peaceful and prosperous country with neither terrorism
nor drug-related crimes. The summit has again demonstrated the SCO's firm
determination to safeguard regional peace and stability and readiness to
provide a strong support for Afghanistan in its fight against terrorism and for
stability.
More opportunities are available for peace and reconstruction
in Afghanistan. The SCO is a comprehensive
regional cooperation organization covering the largest area and most population
in the world, with rich resource endowment, huge market and high capacity in
scientific and technological innovation. At the summit, the leaders undertook
to support the Afghan government and people in rebuilding peace, promoting
economic development and cracking down on terrorism, extremism and drug-related
crimes. They agreed to speed up implementation of specific projects, increase
regional connectivity, develop infrastructure, build a multifunctional
international logistics, trade and tourism centre, apply new and energy-saving
technologies and tap the potentials of observer states and dialogue partners.
In this connection, the member states will advance trade and investment
facilitation within their region. Afghanistan is the heart of Asia, have
similar customs and profound traditional friendships with the most SCO
countries and thus enjoy a natural geographic and cultural advantage to
participate in SCO cooperation. In the process of BRI implementation, the SCO
will be more open and bring more benefits to all. With increased regional
cooperation, Afghanistan will embrace more development opportunities and regain
the splendor as the pearl along the ancient Silk Road.
At present, the SCO enjoys a sound development momentum
as a whole, with steadily increasing share in the global economy and constantly
growing contribution to global economic growth and regional peace and stability.
China and the SCO take the Afghan situation seriously, feels keenly the pains
of the Afghan people and call upon all parties and factions in the country to
seize the opportunity and go with the tide to promote integrated development
with the SCO, which will help create a cooperation platform of solidarity,
mutual trust, shared security, mutual benefit and win-win, eradicate the
breeding soil of terrorism and lay down the foundation for peace,
reconstruction and socioeconomic development in Afghanistan. There is all the
reason for us to believe that with the support and help of the SCO and the
international community, Afghanistan, the heart of Asia, will for sure regain full
vigor and vitality.
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