Kyrgyzstan takes part in Heart of Asia - Istanbul Process

Bishkek, March 30, 2021 . / Kabar / . Delegation of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Kyrgyz Republic consisting of Deputy Director of the Fourth Political Department - Special Representative on Afghanistan Sagynbek Ibraiyev and Counselor of the Kyrgyz Embassy in Tajikistan Meder Soorbekov took part in Senior Officials' Meeting Heart of Asia - Istanbul Process on Afghanistan in Dushanbe on March 29, 2021. The press service of the Kyrgyz Foreign Ministry reported that in the course of the meeting, representatives of participating countries, states, international and regional organizations supporting the process considered the Dushanbe Declaration draft to be approved by the 9th Ministerial Conference of the Heart of Asia - Istanbul Process on March 30 2021 in Dushanbe. The Dushanbe Declaration, agreed upon as a result of the Senior Officials’ Meeting entitled "Strengthening Consensus for Peace and Development," reflects specific areas of cooperation between participating states and countries supporting the process of strengthening security, developing trade and economic ties and regional integration. The Heart of Asia – Istanbul Process is an initiative of Afghanistan and Turkey, which was officially launched at a conference hosted by Turkey in Istanbul on November 2, 2011. Since then, Afghanistan supported by fourteen Participating Countries of the Heart of Asia Region and 16 Supporting Countries beyond the region as well as 12 Regional and International Organizations is leading and coordinating this Process. It is a platform for promoting regional security, economic and political cooperation centered on Afghanistan through dialogue and a set of Confidence Building Measures (CBMs). The Heart of Asia – Istanbul Process aims at promoting and strengthening peace, security, stability and prosperity in Afghanistan and in the region through confidence building and enhancing regional cooperation among 15 countries of the Heart of Asia Region. The HoA-IP has become one of the most interactive voluntary state-groupings in the HoA Region. It brings Afghanistan's immediate and extended neighbors as well as international supporters together through the following focus areas: 1) political consultations; 2) implementation of the CBMs; and 3) cooperation with regional organizations.