Kazakhstan Ambassador: No Threat from Afghan Territory to Regional Countries
Kazakhstan’s ambassador in Kabul has stated that no threat emanates from Afghan soil towards regional countries, including Pakistan, emphasizing that ensuring security in Afghanistan plays a decisive role in strengthening regional cooperation and Central Asia’s stability.
Gaziz Akbasov described Afghanistan’s security situation as “relatively good” in an interview with Ariana News. He noted that security is a key factor for developing economic and political relations among the region’s countries. He added that stability in Afghanistan could pave the way for expanding broader cooperation in Central Asia.
Regarding his country’s relations with the Taliban administration, the Kazakh diplomat said that ties between Kabul and Astana are based on mutual respect and economic cooperation. According to him, Kazakhstan seeks to develop these relations, although the current Afghan ruling entity has not been officially recognized, and Astana’s policy in this regard follows the decisions of the United Nations Security Council.
Akbasov also criticized the sanctions policy, stating that this approach has not yielded the desired results and that the international community should prioritize dialogue and engagement. He added that at present, a level of political trust has been established between the two sides.
The ambassador identified the expansion of economic and trade cooperation with Afghanistan as one of Kazakhstan’s priorities and pointed to Afghanistan’s geographical position as playing an important role in regional connectivity. He said that if these cooperations are strengthened, the economic situation in Afghanistan could improve, enhancing regional stability.
He added that trade volume between Afghanistan and Kazakhstan has reached approximately $540 million in recent years, with both countries targeting an increase to $3 billion in the coming years.
