Afghanistan no threat to Uzbekistan — Taliban official

Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, the acting deputy prime minister of the Taliban, has assured that Afghanistan does not pose any threat to Uzbekistan. His statement was reported on the official website of the Taliban interim government following a conversation with Uzbek Prime Minister Abdulla Aripov.

Baradar emphasized that Afghanistan is taking serious measures to combat the cultivation, production, and smuggling of narcotics, preventing their illegal transportation to neighboring countries. He also reassured neighboring nations and the international community that Afghan territory would not be used against any country or serve as a source of regional instability.

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During the meeting, the Taliban delegation highlighted the importance of developing railways and highways between Afghanistan and Uzbekistan. They officially proposed that Tashkent invest in the Mazar-i-Sharif–Herat–Kandahar railway project, which would connect Uzbekistan with Iran and China. The delegation stated that this project could enhance Tashkent’s trade with South Asian countries, Iran, and China while contributing to regional stability and economic growth.

Baradar also emphasized the need for the implementation of agreements between the two sides in various fields, including infrastructure development, trade, transit, and regional cooperation. Additionally, he urged Uzbek authorities to invest in the construction of a tunnel in Afghanistan.

It should be noted that Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar and his delegation arrived in Tashkent on February 22. They were welcomed at Tashkent International Airport by Uzbekistan’s Deputy Prime Minister Jamshid Khojaev, Special Representative of the President for Afghanistan Ismatulla Ergashev, and Taliban Ambassador to Uzbekistan Sheikh Abdugaffor Bahr.