The deliberations in the meeting of the senior officials from the countries associated with the 'Heart of Asia-Istanbul Process' will help in the formulation of Islamabad Declaration which will be adopted at the Ministerial Conference to be held here later this year. Pakistan is the co-chair for 2015.
In the meeting, inaugurated by Pakistan's adviser to Prime Minister on Foreign Affairs and National Security Sartaj Aziz, detailed discussions were held on assessment of security situation in Afghanistan and the regional cooperation to address security challenges in the region, Pakistan's Foreign Office said.
The Foreign Office said there was convergence of views that peace, security and stability are essential for socio-economic development and prosperity in Afghanistan and the region.
"Therefore, the countries and organisations recognised the need to collectively strive for the attainment of these objectives to create a win-win situation for all," it said.
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Addressing the inaugural session of the meeting, Aziz, said, "Afghanistan holds immense significance for us, not only because we share a common border or ethnic affinity, but also because together we can usher in a new era of regional connectivity and regional cooperation in line with the vision of transformation decade enunciated by President Ashraf Ghani."
Fourteen participating countries, including India, 16 supporting countries and 12 regional and international organisations are associated with the Process.