The delegation of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Uzbekistan, headed by Minister Bahodir Saidov, paid an official visit to the capital of Afghanistan, Kabul.
The Uzbek delegation held a series of meetings and negotiations with officials of the interim government of Afghanistan, including Acting Prime Minister Mullah Mohammad Hasan Akhund, Acting Deputy Prime Minister Mawlawi Abdul Salam Hanafi, Acting Deputy Prime Minister Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, Acting Minister of Foreign Affairs Mawlawi Amir Khan Muttaki, Acting Minister of Internal Affairs Khalifa Sirajuddin Haqqani, and Acting Minister of Trade and Industry Nuriddin Azizi.
The parties discussed a wide range of issues related to bilateral cooperation and explored the prospects for bilateral relations. Special attention was given to intensifying economic ties and creating the most favorable conditions for effective interaction between the business communities of the two countries.
Uzbekistan does not conceal its desire to establish friendly relations with the Taliban after 2021 and seeks to provide assistance to the people of Afghanistan. In the border city of Termez, Uzbekistan, a special training center has long been operating to train Afghan specialists who wish to acquire or improve their professional skills.
The implementation by the Afghan authorities of the Koshtepa Canal construction project, which draws water from the Amu Darya River, could have a negative impact on bilateral relations. The volume of water diverted from the river amounts to 15-20%, which could lead to water shortages during the growing season for downstream countries such as Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan.
In response to the Uzbek authorities' call to adhere to internationally recognized water allocation rules, the Taliban stated that Afghanistan has not signed any agreements regarding water allocation with anyone and therefore has the right to take 30% of the volume from the border river.
The authorities of Turkmenistan also called on the authorities of Afghanistan to adhere to international rules and scientifically based methods of water allocation from border rivers.
It is worth noting the noticeable revival of contacts between the current authorities of Afghanistan and practically all countries of Central Asia. However, due to Tajikistan's firm position on the creation of an inclusive government in Afghanistan, the Taliban are not showing any activity towards Tajikistan.
CentralasianLIGHT.org
March 14, 2024