KABUL - Czech Republic Prime Minister Bohuslav Sobotka, who is in Kabul, has said his country has decided to expand relations with Afghanistan, establish a consulate in Mazar-i-Sharif and train Afghan pilots.
A statement from the Presidential Palace said Sobotka and President Ashraf Ghani on Sunday night discussed mutual relations and cooperation.
Ghani thanked Sobotka for his country’s assistance in security and reconstruction spheres of Afghanistan and praised the Czech soldiers who lost their lives as part of NATO mission in the past years.
The president also urged Bobotka to encourage Czech traders and entrepreneurs to invest in Afghanistan in areas of business, infrastructure, urban development and said Afghan traders were ready to help Czech investors, the statement added.
The Afghan leader sought the Czech Republic’s help with the Afghan Air Force in repairing helicopters and sending a technical team to Afghanistan.
Sobotka said he was happy visiting Afghanistan and said his country would continue assisting Afghanistan in military and reconstruction areas.
For the sake of increased cooperation, his would open a consulate in Mazar-i-Sharif, the capital of northern Balkh province, and would train 50 to 100 Afghan pilots.
A delegation of the Czech Ministry of Defence would visit Kabul in near future discuss security issues and cooperation with Afghan officials, the prime minister said.
At the end of their meeting, the premier invited President Ghani to visit Czech Republic and his invitation was accepted, the statement said. (Pajhwok)