Kazakhstan, Astana, 14 March / Trend, D. Mukhtarov /
Challenges faced by the Central Asian region, especially given the upcoming withdrawal of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) troops from Afghanistan in 2014, and possible next steps to be taken by the international community to stabilize the situation in Afghanistan and contribute to the development of the country were discussed in Vienna during the conference within OSCE Security Days.
The conference entitled 'International Community Engagement with Afghanistan and Central Asian States - Challenges, Synergies, Possible Responses and the OSCE Role' and held in Vienna on March 12 discussed the problems of border management, countering terrorism and narcotics, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Kazakhstan.
The OSCE Secretary General Lamberto Zannier and Chairperson of the OSCE Permanent Council Ambassador Igor Prokopchuk of Ukraine reported on the organization's contribution to the international community's efforts in Afghanistan and identified the possible role it could play in the future.
Speakers stressed that the Astana OSCE Summit Declaration (2010) recognized the inextricable link of the OSCE area security with security of the neighboring regions, especially the Mediterranean and Asia.
The conference was attended by senior representatives of the foreign ministries of Central Asian countries, Russia, the United States, European countries, as well as Afghanistan represented by the Minister of Counter Narcotics Ahmad Moqbel Zarar.
From Kazakhstan at the conference were the Deputy Foreign Minister of Kazakhstan Kairat Sarybay and Director of Kazakhstan Institute for Strategic Studies Bulat Sultanov.
They shared a vision of Kazakhstan on security issues in Central Asia through the settlement of the situation in Afghanistan.