Azerbaijan, Baku, Apr. 26 / Trend E. Kosolapova/
Afghanistan remains a source of terrorist and extremist activities in the region, President of Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbayev believes, Novosti-Kazakhstan reported.
"The threat of international terrorism and religious extremism is still an important regional challenge. Unfortunately, Afghanistan remains a source of terrorist and extremist activities, including those in neighboring countries," Nazarbayev said at opening ceremony of the third ministerial meeting of the regional 'Istanbul Process' on Afghanistan, held in Almaty on Friday.
The President noted that the countries participating in Istanbul process should take this fact in consideration.
Moreover, Nazarbayev also said that drug trafficking is among Afghanistan's urgent problems.
"Today, the problem of drug production and drug trafficking is among the major challenges for regional development," he said and called on the 'Istanbul Process' countries to coordinate their efforts for combating this problem.
Nazarbayev also stressed the need for enhancing the economic cooperation with Afghanistan.
"The economic rehabilitation of Afghanistan is a fundamental part of international support programs. We should speed up the enhancement of the economic cooperation in the region and actively involve Afghanistan into these processes," he said.
In particular, Nazarbayev stressed the need for expansion of railways networks in and around Afghanistan.
"The withdrawal of the international coalition should not be followed by decreasing attention to Afghanistan," the President said.