KABUL - The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) on Wednesday said Afghanistan’s foreign policy, undergoing drastic changes, was based on mutual respect, national integrity, peaceful co-existence and non-interference.
Afghanistan’s foreign policy and diplomatic mission had suffered a huge setback during the Mujahidin and Taliban regimes. The president has to endorse basic principles of the policy that should be approved by the parliament.
But the Afghan foreign policy was mainly fashioned in light of presidential speeches and decisions. The MoFA said Afghanistan currently had cordial relations with foreign countries, establishing strong diplomatic ties with the world at large in the past 15 years.
MoFA spokesman Shakib Mustaghni, during an exclusive interview, told Pajhwok Afghan News Afghanistan’s relations with other countries were based on mutual respect, peaceful co-existence and resolution of disputes under international norms and laws with other countries.
In particular, he said, Afghanistan set store by cordial relations with neighbours. Non-interference in each other’s internal affairs was identified as a key principle of the reformed policy. Afghanistan is pursuing active diplomacy by keeping balance in relations with other countries, keeping in mind regional tensions and disputes.
“Regional linkages on security, economic and other issues have been top priorities of our foreign policy since the formation of the national unity government. As a result, Afghanistan has emerged as an important actor in the region,” he claimed.
Launch of work on the Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India (TAPI) gas pipeline, the Chabahar port, Central Asia-South Asia (CASA-1000) power project, the lapis lazuli railway line and revival of the Silk Road from China to the Middle East through Afghanistan were major foreign policy gains, he said.
Another major goal of the foreign policy is to convert Afghanistan into a corridor with Central Asia through four transit routes. Considerable progress had been made in this regard, the spokesman continued.(Pajhwok)