Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) - SCO Secretary-General Vladimir Norov sent a welcoming message to the President of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan Ashraf Ghani and Chairman of the Supreme Council of National Reconciliation Abdullah Abdullah in connection with the signing of the agreement on the division of powers.

In his address to the two main political leaders of Afghanistan, the SCO Secretary General emphasized the importance of this event for ensuring the unity of the country and expressed hope for the earliest possible launch of inter-Afghan negotiations.

He noted that there is no alternative to resolving the intra-Afghan conflict through political dialogue and the implementation of an inclusive peace process by the Afghans themselves and under the leadership of the Afghans themselves.

The letter expresses support for the efforts of the Government and people of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan aimed at restoring peace, economic development, countering terrorism, extremism and drug crime. The readiness of the SCO member states to promote cooperation with Afghan partners through the SCO-Afghanistan Contact Group and the implementation of the corresponding road map is confirmed.

It should be noted that the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan has been an observer state at the SCO since 2012. The activities of the SCO-Afghanistan Contact Group were intensified in 2017. On 14 July 2019, on the "sidelines" of the meeting of the Council of Heads of State of the SCO in Bishkek, the "road map" of further actions of the SCO-Afghanistan Contact Group was signed with the Afghan side.