Turkmenistan, Ashgabat, Oct. 4 / Trend H. Hasanov /
One of the sessions of the Central Asia Border Security Initiative (CABSI), conference held in Ashgabat on October 2-3 was dedicated to cross-border cooperation between Central Asia and Afghanistan, Turkmen Dovlet Khabarlary state news service reported on Thursday.
The agenda also included the modernisation of border control systems, the fight against illegal migration and assistance in the fight against illegal cross-border trade, drug trafficking and corruption.
The event was organised with the participation of the Turkmen government, the Federal Interior Ministry of Austria, the European Union (EU) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
'The participants stressed that in general, the forum is an open platform to exchange practical experience, discuss priorities for cooperation in this area and work out a balanced approach to solve the urgent problems of border security', the information says.
Turkmen Dovlet Khabarlary emphasised the importance of supporting the revival of neighbouring Afghanistan.
At this stage, such major regional projects as the construction of the Turkmenistan -Afghanistan- Pakistan -India (TAPI) gas pipeline, the laying of the Turkmenistan- Afghanistan- Tajikistan railway, as well as the construction of power lines which will allow increasing Turkmen electricity supplies to Afghanistan fivefold play a positive role.
The delegations came from Austria, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Afghanistan, China, Japan, Russia, US, Turkey and several EU member states.
Among the delegates are representatives of UN agencies, the International Organisation for Migration, the International Centre for Migration Policy Development (ICMPD), Central Asian Regional Information and Coordination Centre for Combating the Illicit Trafficking of Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (CARICC).
CABSI was formed in 2003 by the Federal Interior Ministry of Austria for the coordination of programme activity and strategic objectives of the Border Management Programme in Central Asia (BOMCA) and funded by the EU.