Four leaders' talks to help develop regional cooperation - Lavrov.

20/7 Tass 125


KABUL, July 20 (Itar-Tass) - A meeting of the presidents of Russia,
Afghanistan, Pakistan and Tajikistan in August in Sochi will help develop
cooperation in the region, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said at
an International Conference on Afghanistan in Kabul on Tuesday.
"The development of efficient regional cooperation in order to settle
problems of Afghanistan is a priority," the Russian foreign minister said.
"The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, within the framework of which the
SCO-Afghanistan contact group was set up, makes its contribution," the
minister pointed out.
He said the upcoming meeting of the Russian, Afghan, Pakistani and
Tajik presidents in Sochi has the same goal.
According to Lavrov, "restoration of the neutral status of Afghanistan
is designed to become one of the key factors of creating an atmosphere of
good-neighbourly relations and cooperation in the region," he added.
"We expect that this idea will be supported by the Afghan people. The
presidents of Russia and the USA have already come out in favour of it,"
the top Russian diplomat added.
-0-zhe/kud


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