KABUL (Pajhwok): Japan's Ambassador to Kabul Masamoto Kenichi says Afghanistan's ancient civilization carries global importance and safeguarding its historical sites and artifacts is a responsibility shared by the international community, not solely the Afghan government.

Kenichi made the remarks during a meeting with Deputy Minister of Information and Culture Mawlawi Atiqullah Azizi, according to Habib Ghofran, spokesman for the Ministry of Information and Culture (MoIC), who shared the update on his X handle.

He said the two sides discussed cultural cooperation and the protection of historical heritage.

Kenichi stressed that Afghanistan's ancient civilization is of international importance and that safeguarding its historical sites and artifacts requires collective responsibility from all nations, not merely the Afghan government.

He praised the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan's (IEA) efforts in preventing drug trafficking, combating corruption, and curbing the smuggling of historical artifacts, describing these initiatives as valuable and effective.

For his part, Azizi thanked Japan for its contributions to the preservation and restoration of Afghanistan's ancient cultural and historical artifacts, noting that these efforts are vital for protecting the country's cultural heritage.

Ghofran added that the meeting conveyed a positive message about strengthening cultural ties and enhancing mutual cooperation.

kk/sa

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