“6+2” contact group includes Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Pakistan, China, Iran as well as the USA and Russia. Uzbek President Islam Karimov proposed to expend the group to “6+3” and include NATO as a body involved in carrying out anti-terror operations in Afghanistan.

US envoy said the idea already is becoming reality. “Everyone understands that the role of neighbouring countries is very important both in economic and political terms. The role of Uzbekistan in economic terms should be noted.”

Richard Norland said various ethnic groups live in Afghanistan: Hazaris, Turkmens, Uzbeks and Tajiks, and “neighbouring countries, with their influence on them, can play both positive and negative role there”.

“Luckily, until now, they have played mainly positive role. In this connection, Uzbekistan’s proposal on the contact group with participation of neighbouring countries is important because it allows to arrange a dialogue and to combine efforts of neighbouring countries in resolving problems there,” he said.

US Ambassador said the sides have only one difference on this issue. He said it is related with the vision of the role of the Afghan government. The format “6+3” does not envisage the role of the Afghan government as one of participants. “We, however, think that the sovereign Afghanistan now has its legitimately elected leadership and we can not work without their participation. We are discussing this issue with Uzbekistan, and though each side holds its own view, I think this is not an obstacle to resolving the problem,” envoy said.

“The main point is that all neighbouring countries are trying to help with it. We are engaged in a dialogue on how to tackle this issue and "6+3" group therefore is acting,” Norland said.