The 20th Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit was held in the Tajik capital, Dushanbe, on Friday. It was dominated by the situation in Afghanistan and the security challenges associated with it, amid calls to help this country and confront what was described as terrorist threats and external interference in the region.
And participated in the summit - which was held for one day - the leaders of Russia, China, Pakistan, India, Iran, Mongolia and the republics of Central Asia, and the developments of the situation in Afghanistan topped its agenda.
In a video speech from his residence on the outskirts of Moscow, Russian President Vladimir Putin called for using the capabilities of the Shanghai Organization to support a political settlement in Afghanistan, and to confront what he described as terrorist threats.
Putin said that there is a need to work with the government recently formed by the Taliban, and described the change of power in Afghanistan as a historic moment, stressing that the new Afghan authorities must be motivated to implement their promises.
He called on the major powers to consider lifting the freezing of Afghan assets abroad, and considered that the United States should be the largest contributor to Kabul's financial aid, noting that his country supports holding a conference on Afghanistan organized by the United Nations.
The Russian president welcomed the accession of Qatar, Egypt and Saudi Arabia as dialogue partners in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization. He also expressed Moscow's support for the decision to include Iran as an active member that would raise the organization's status internationally, as he put it.
Putin participated in the summit via video (Reuters)
Afghanistan aid and foreign intervention
For his part, Chinese President Xi Jinping stressed - in a video speech - that his country will provide more aid to Afghanistan according to its ability.
Xi called on the international community to help Afghanistan, and called on the new authorities in Kabul to root out terrorism and pursue moderate policies at home and abroad.
The Chinese president emphasized the need to ensure a smooth transition to a new socio-political form in Afghanistan.
Xi said that his country will not allow outside forces to interfere in the region's affairs under any pretext, as he put it.
As for Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi, he expressed his country's readiness to provide assistance to the Afghans to rebuild their country and form a government that includes all sects.
During his meeting with Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan on the sidelines of the summit, Raisi added that the solution to the problems in Afghanistan lies in limiting foreign interference in Afghan affairs, adding that the US and Western presence in Afghanistan over the past two decades has brought nothing but destruction, displacement and killing to the Afghan people, as he put it. .