ISTANBUL: More than a dozen countries in the volatile region around
Afghanistan have reached a security agreement that emphasizes
non-interference in the troubled country’s affairs, in a diplomatic push
to prevent proxy wars and state partition as NATO troops withdraw.
The
Istanbul Protocol commits signatories to protect Afghanistan’s
“sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity,” and promises
co-operation on the dismantling of “terrorist sanctuaries and safe
havens Such promises are less notable than the list of countries that
pledged agreement, which reads like a “who’s who” of potential rivals if
Afghanistan descends further into civil wars backed by outsiders.
Delegations
that adopted the protocol, in Istanbul, include Pakistan, China, India,
Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Turkey,
Turkmenistan, and the United Arab Emirates.
“Afghanistan is not
only the heart of Asia but also the heart of the whole world, because
all of the international organizations are working together to a common
end there,” said Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu.
The
regional foreign ministers also agreed to meet again in June, 2012, in
Kabul. Like other Western countries, Canada sent a delegation that
“welcomed and supported” the agreement; Deepak Obhrai, parliamentary
secretary for foreign affairs, said this represents a positive trend
toward Afghanistan’s neighbours taking a greater share of the
responsibility for the country.
“Canada has done its share, with heavy loss of life,” Mr. Obhrai said.
The
emphasis on regional solutions comes in part from Western plans to
reduce the number of troops in the country, pulling out perhaps a
quarter of the 130,000 soldiers by next year. This has raised concerns
among Afghanistan’s neighbors about the potential fallout: Iran’s
foreign minister gave a speech warning that the recent assassination of
Afghan Peace Council chief Burhanuddin Rabbani represented part of a
“conspiracy” to destabilize Afghanistan.
“Iran warns against
every step that could bring Afghanistan to the edge of collapse or
partition,” said Iranian Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi, according to
a transcript of his speech.
Afghan Foreign Affairs Minister
Zalmai Rassoul, who co-chaired the event with his Turkish counterpart,
said he was satisfied with the agreement but that the more difficult
test would be its implementation.
“Regional co-operation is not
only theory,” Mr. Rassoul said. “Regional co-operation means working
together for an environment that is free of terrorism, drugs, and
organized crime.” Online
