Afghan, Turkish foreign ministers discuss regional cooperation

Turkish and Afghan foreign ministers met on Wednesday to discuss ways to improve regional cooperation in Afghanistan, Xinhua reported.

Afghan Foreign Minister Zalmai Rassoul praised the Fourth Regional Economic Cooperation Conference in Afghanistan, saying the successes obtained by the Afghans in 2010 are results of regional cooperation.

The Afghan government has gained successes in the past 10 months, including parliamentary elections, the assembly of the jirga to bring together opposing factions, as well as increasing steps to handle responsibilities for the country's security to the Afghan national security force.

Rassoul talked of the importance of regional cooperation in assisting Afghans to develop their own state, saying "a military solution is not the only solution, we need a political process."

Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu, for his part, stressed the importance of regional and international involvement with Afghanistan.

Speaking of Turkey's contributions to Afghanistan in the past decade, he said Turkey has assisted in the training of Afghan security forces, in construction of hospitals, schools and other necessary buildings.

Turkey will continue to provide those services for Afghans as part of its duties in NATO and as long as Afghanistan requested it, Davutoglu added.