Afghanistan urgently needs peace, stability — CSTO Secretary General

MOSCOW, October 16. /TASS/. Kabul is in dire need of peace, stability, and economic development, Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) Secretary General Taalatbek Masadykov said at a conference hosted by the CSTO, Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), and Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) on security in Central Asia and Afghanistan.

"Afghanistan is in dire need of peace, stability, and economic development. And under current conditions, breaking the vicious cycle of poverty, halting drug trafficking, terrorist activity, armed conflict outbreaks, and other threats is possible only through pragmatic, coordinated, and phased international cooperation with this country," Masadykov said.

The CSTO secretary general said that in this context, efforts between the CSTO, the CIS, and the SCO need to be better coordinated "to promote the peace process in Afghanistan." "The Taliban government has proven that it is a long-term political force in the country," he concluded.