UN calls for regional cooperation

The United Nations special envoy to Afghanistan called for better cooperation between the country and its neighbours on Thursday. "Afghanistan is surrounded by nations which are highly interested in stability in Afghanistan and are friendly to Afghans. That means it is time for building bridges," Tom Koenigs told a press briefing in the capital Kabul. The envoy said peace and stability in Afghanistan was dependent on strong relations with its neighbours such as Iran and Pakistan. “In an economy which is so dependent on foreign aid, foreign trade and foreign money, it’s obvious that Afghanistan depends on good relations with its neighbours,” Koenigs said. Koenigs, who had already visited Pakistan, said he would soon visit Iran in order to foster strong cooperation with Afghanistan, particularly on security, economic development and the return of Afghan refugees. “There is a multitude of links between Afghanistan and Iran and there are a lot of fields for further cooperation in trade and investment, and also in the matter of refugees,” the UN envoy asserted. Afghan officials have repeatedly blamed Pakistan for supporting Taliban militants who were toppled by the US-led coalition in late 2001. The Taliban are now waging a deadly insurgency in south and eastern Afghanistan against US and government forces.