Addressing the meeting participants, Nursultan Nazarbayev expressed confidence that the first official visit of Mohammad Ashraf Ghani to Astana will provide new impetus to further development of bilateral relations.
Nursultan Nazarbayev emphasized that Kazakhstan and Afghanistan share historical traditions of friendship, as well as strong cultural and spiritual ties.
The President noted that the relations between the two countries go back a few centuries ago, when the first contacts between the Kazakh Khanate and Ahmad Shah Durrani were made.
The Head of State stressed the 30-year-long civil war in Afghanistan has greatly affected the welfare of its people. At that, Kazakhstan fully supports the efforts of Mohammad Ashraf Ghani to stabilize the situation and ensure the development of the country, he said.
Nursultan Nazarbayev noted that Kazakhstan will continue to support the country’s efforts to preserve peace within the framework of various international organizations.
The President of Kazakhstan reminded that when the situation escalated in northern Afghanistan in 1996, an urgent meeting of the heads of Central Asian countries and Russia took place in Kazakhstan, which laid the foundation for the adoption of the appropriate UN resolution.
Nursultan Nazarbayev praised the talks held earlier in the day, during which the two leaders discussed important aspects of bilateral relations, as well as the international agenda.
Mohammad Ashraf Ghani, in turn, said that since Kazakhstan gained independence the relations between the two countries have strengthened. He emphasized that the people of Kazakhstan together with President Nursultan Nazarbayev have managed to build a stable and prosperous state.
