KABUL - Foreign ministers and high-ranking representatives from ‘Heart of Asia’ countries have described the Istanbul Process on Afghanistan as an important regional platform of dialogue and interaction for consolidating security, confidence and result-oriented cooperation.

“We reiterate our adherence to the principles and commitments … including the sovereignty and territorial integrity of states, and the central and impartial role of the United Nations,” the participants said in a joint declaration late on Friday.

Also attended by supporting states and international organizations, the conference considered those principles and commitments as the foundation for continued and broadening co-operation in the framework of the Istanbul Process.

“We believe the region plays a vital role in ensuring a stable, peaceful and prosperous Afghanistan, while long-term stability and prosperity in the region require peace and stability in Afghanistan,” the declaration said.

It added the international community and the region had a shared responsibility and common interest in working together for the sake of Afghanistan and the region as a whole.

The support of non-regional countries and organizations involved in the Istanbul Process is essential to the success of this shared effort. It welcomed efforts to promote a stable, independent, prosperous and democratic Afghanistan.

“Our shared interests are best served by cooperation, rather than competition, in the Heart of Asia. We will therefore use the Istanbul Process to build a common platform of shared regional interests, as well as a secure and prosperous ‘Heart of Asia’ region where Afghanistan has a crucial role as a land-bridge, connecting South Asia, Central Asia, Eurasia, and the Middle East.

“The first priority and area of common concern is security. Contemporary security challenges and threats have a global character and impact and the only possible way to effectively counter them is for states to work together according to agreed principles and mechanisms of cooperation.

“In this context, as representatives of a region that is most affected by common security challenges, we are determined to work together through the Istanbul Process to respond to our common security challenges and threats,” the document said.

The following is the full text of the Almaty Declaration:

• The third ‘Heart of Asia’ Ministerial Conference in the framework of the Istanbul Process, which was launched on  November02, 2011 in Istanbul, Turkey, took place on April 26, 2013 in Almaty, Kazakhstan. The President of the Republic of Kazakhstan, H.E. MrNursultanNazarbayev, inaugurated the Conference, which was co-chaired by the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, H.E. Dr. ZalmaiRassoul, and the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan, H.E. MrErlanIdrissov.
• The Conference was attended by 14 ministerial and high-level delegations from the ‘Heart of Asia’ countries, 16 ministerial and high-level delegations from supporting countries of the Istanbul Process, as well as 12 high-level delegations from international and regional organizations.
• We, the Ministers of Foreign Affairs and high-ranking representatives of the ‘Heart of Asia’ countries, joined by supporting states and regional and international organizations, meeting at this time of great importance for Afghanistan and the region, believe that the Istanbul Process is an important regional platform of dialogue and interaction for consolidating the efforts of the countries of the region aimed at promoting security, confidence and result-oriented cooperation. We reiterate our adherence to the principles and commitments, contained in the outcome documents of the Istanbul Conference (2 November 2011) and the Kabul Ministerial (14 June 2012), including the sovereignty and territorial integrity of states, and the central and impartial role of the United Nations. We consider those principles and commitments as the foundation for continued and broadening co-operation in the framework of the Istanbul Process. We express our gratitude to the Government of Turkey for initiating the Istanbul Process by hosting its launching conference, as well as the Government of Afghanistan for leading the process since its initiation and hosting its first follow up at ministerial level.
• We recognize and appreciate that the Istanbul Process completed its first step as we adopt the Implementation Plans of the Confidence Building Measures(CBMs) endorsed at the senior officials meetings of Baku, Kabul and Almaty, attached as annexes to this Declaration. We also commit that, building on the steps taken so far, we will take the Istanbul Process to the next level: the delivery of concrete results through implementation of CBMs and the consolidation of common interests through political consultations and dialogue.