Kazakh President receives US Special Representative for Afghanistan Reconciliation

Kazakh President receives US Special Representative for Afghanistan Reconciliation

Nur-Sultan (UNA-OIC) – Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev received the US Special Representative for Afghanistan Reconciliation Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad, who arrived in Kazakhstan on a working visit.

During the meeting, the two parties discussed the prospects for the development of the Kazakh-US enhanced strategic partnership in the context of ensuring security and stability in Afghanistan, including in the light of the withdrawal of US and NATO troops from this country. They also touched upon the coordination of bilateral and multilateral efforts for the stabilization and socio-economic reconstruction of the Afghan state.

President Tokayev noted the importance of the American envoy’s visit in maintaining high-level dialogue between Kazakhstan and the United States.

“This year we are marking the 30th anniversary of our Independence. During this period, we managed to build relations of friendship and mutually beneficial cooperation. The United States is a strong partner of Kazakhstan. We are good partners in so many areas, including trade and economic cooperation,” he said.

The President called the cooperation on the settlement of the situation in Afghanistan as a matter of mutual cooperation between both Kazakhstan and the United States. He stressed that the Afghan issue is always in the focus of his talks with the leaders of Afghanistan, Russia, China, Central Asian states and international organizations.

In turn, Ambassador Khalilzad expressed gratitude to President Tokayev for the opportunity to meet in person. He highly commended the President’s role in international efforts aimed at restoring stability in Afghanistan, citing ​Kazakhstan’s important stabilizing role in the Central Asian region.

During the meeting, the US Special Representative shared with the Kazakh President his assessments of the current situation in Afghanistan, the vision of American diplomacy regarding the further development of the intra-Afghan Peace Process, and the coordination of efforts of all stakeholders on the Afghan track.

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