Pakistan, Afghanistan, Uzbekistan and US create platform for regional cooperation

Pakistan, Afghanistan, Uzbekistan, and the United States have created a new diplomatic platform to support stability and sustainable peace in Afghanistan and to foster regional trade.

"Representatives of the United States, Uzbekistan, Afghanistan, and Pakistan agreed in principle to establish a new quadrilateral diplomatic platform focused on enhancing regional connectivity," Pakistan's Foreign Office said.

Pakistan, Uzbekistan agree to strengthen ties

​"The parties consider long-term peace and stability in Afghanistan critical to regional connectivity and agree that peace and regional connectivity are mutually reinforcing," said the FO statement.

It further added that the countries had recognized the "historic opportunity to open flourishing international trade routes" and intended to cooperate on expanding trade, building transit links, and strengthening business-to-business ties".

The parties agreed to meet in the coming months to determine the modalities of this cooperation with mutual consensus.

The US State Department also issued a statement on Twitter, saying that it looked forward to partnering with the three countries for regional cooperation, terming it a "cornerstone to a sustained peace".

The development came during the international conference on "Central and South Asia Regional Connectivity: Challenges and Opportunities" in Uzbekistan.