Official website of the President of Russia

 

President of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan Hamid Karzai, President of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan Asif Ali Zardari, President of the Russian Federation Dmitry Medvedev and President of the Republic of Tajikistan Emomali Rahmon, having assembled at their second quadrilateral meeting in Sochi on August 18, 2010, held detailed discussion about the state and prospects of development of the regional cooperation,

Underscoring the need for the consistent implementation of the agreements reached during their first meeting in Dushanbe on July 30, 2009,

Recognising the particular significance of expanding and strengthening multifaceted cooperation between Afghanistan, Pakistan, Russia and Tajikistan as an essential component of regional stability and economic development,

Welcoming the conclusion of the Afghanistan-Pakistan Trade and Transit Agreement and looking forward to its successful implementation,

Expressing concern over the persistent terrorist threat in the region, as well as illegal drugs production and trafficking of such a scope that gives grounds to qualify this illegal activity as a threat to international peace and stability,

1. Welcome and support the launch of the Kabul Process and the holding of the High-Level International Conference on Afghanistan, which took place in Kabul on July 20, 2010. In this regard, they supported the priority programmes developed within the five clusters of security, governance, economic and infrastructure development, agriculture and rural development, human resource development and supported the outcomes of the National Consultative peace Jirga as a milestone in the peace and reconciliation process in Afghanistan,

2. Stress the importance of regional cooperation in facilitating the stabilisation of the situation in the region including through regional cooperation opportunities available within existing international and regional bodies, including the SCO, in areas such as anti-terrorism and counter-narcotics, and call for the increased harnessing of the potential of the SCO Regional Antiterrorist Structure for these purposes.

3. Consider it one of their priorities to combat drug threat in an integrated manner throughout the entire chain of illegal drugs production and trafficking, ranging from promoting alternative livelihood and agriculture development to eradication, as well as countering the supply of precursors and taking steps to reduce drugs consumption, and instruct heads of anti-drug agencies of their countries to convene as soon as possible a meeting for a substantive examination of relevant issues.

4. Underline the importance of the anti-drug preventive operation Channel conducted under the aegis of the CSTO, advocate increasing the number of states participating in the operation as observers.

5. Express readiness to continue active participation in implementing the provisions of the Plan of Action of the SCO Member States and the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan on combating terrorism, illicit drug trafficking and organised crime, adopted at the Special Conference on Afghanistan held under the aegis of the SCO in Moscow on March 27, 2009.

6. Confirm their intention to actively participate in the activities on combating money laundering and financing of terrorism, especially to eliminate financial channels, connected with illicit trafficking of drug substances and their precursors.

7. Declare their determination to actively counteract illicit trafficking of weapons, munitions, explosives and other types of transboundary organised crime.

8. Express interest in further enhancing regional economic cooperation in trade, economy, investment areas and improving investment environment in the countries of the region and establishing direct ties between the business circles.

9. Support the intention of business circles of Russia, Pakistan and Tajikistan together with the government and business community of Afghanistan to participate in restoring and reconstructing the facilities which have a key importance for the Afghan economy in areas such as transport, energy, natural resources management and urban development and emphasise the need for identifying concrete priority projects in the aforementioned areas including the Salang Tunnel, oil and gas facilities in the north of the country, nitric fertilizer plant and thermal power station in Mazar-i-Sharif, Kabul house-building plant and Nangarhar irrigation facility.

10. Advocate implementing joint projects in energy and transport infrastructure development in the region, such as the CASA-1000 project aiming to establish a system to transmit electric energy from Tajikistan to Afghanistan and Pakistan, and support the participation of the Russian Federation in this project.

11. Express hope that international financial and economic institutions would actively assist in implementing regional economic projects aiming to rebuild the Afghan economy and improve stability in the country and the region as a whole.

12. The Presidents of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, the Russian Federation and the Republic of Tajikistan express their solidarity and sympathy with the Government and the people of Pakistan over the colossal loss of precious lives and property caused by unprecedented floods in Pakistan, and appeal to the international community to provide urgent assistance to Pakistan to overcome the effects of this terrible natural calamity.

13. Decided to hold the next meeting of the Presidents of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, the Russian Federation and the Republic of Tajikistan in the city of Dushanbe. The concrete date of the meeting will be determined through the diplomatic channels.