Muhammad Rahman, 60, a shopkeeper in Khost province, says: “Neighbouring countries have been interfering in Afghanistan internal affairs for over three decades. Neighboring countries have shattered our lives but our government has totally failed to address the issue with our neighboring states. The presence of foreign troops in Afghanistan is a constant source of trouble for our neighbors.” What will be your foreign policy approach to address these concerns?
We want brotherly relations with our neighbours, Abdullah said, adding that growing regional challenges should be tackled boldly. As a nation, we should strive hard to address the challenges successfully and move forward on path to progress, prosperity and development with tandem.
4. Foreign Policy:
- National interests to be kept supreme in keeping ties with regional and international community.
- Mutual respect, good neighbourly relations, non-interference in others’ internal affairs, and respect national sovereignty.
- Legalization of foreign troops in Afghanistan.
- Resolution of Afghanistan’s conflicts in line with national interest and territorial integrity.
Ashraf Ghani said they wanted the establishment of a government to be based on national consensus and its foreign policy based on mutual respect on political, economic, cultural and social fronts.
Ghani said his government would give special importance to relations with neighbouring countries.
He said five of the six Afghanistan’s neighbours were Muslim countries who shared political, economic and cultural values, which he said were key to further developing relations among them.
Ashraf Ghani believed peace and stability in neighboring countries was vital for a peaceful and stable Afghanistan.
Hilal says greater peace in Afghanistan is in the interest of the entire region. I will try my best to bridge trust deficit with neighboring countries.
Our neighboring states should know that stability in Afghanistan is key to regional peace and development, according to Hilal who says cooperation of neighboring states is vital for economic development of Afghanistan. He says war is not solution to any problem and we need to keep our national interests supreme in dealing with other countries.
According to Hilal, the existence of foreign forces in Afghanistan have created doubts in minds of regional countries such as Russia and China on one hand while on the other financial and technical patronage of Afghan National Army (ANA) and Police by foreigners are important for us.
4. In myopinion, the presence offoreign forcesin Afghanistan is nota threat to any third country or neighbouring states. Conversely,the presenceof these forcesis a guaranteeto keep terrorismat bay and not allow Afghanistan to turn into a hub for terrorists.
However,we believe on goodneighbourly relations. We want politicalcompetitionamong regional countries should be converted into economic and transportationcompetition. The foreign troops will return to their countries but neighbours will live side by side forever. We want presence of foreign troops for greater peace and domestic security and stability of the region.We wish neighbours of Afghanistan could use their influence on insurgents to accelerate peace process so that the foreign forces return back to their countries.
