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Kabul, June 14 (IANS) Afghan President Hamid Karzai has said that a closer cooperation among regional countries is required as his country is undergoing a critical period of transition, Xinhua reported. Karzai was speaking during an international conference held here Thursday to figure out ways to stablise Afghanistan and chart out future of the war-torn country after NATO-led foreign troops pull out in 2014. He hoped that Thursday's talks would usher tangible development to bring peace, harmony and sustainability to Afghanistan and the region. Representatives, mostly foreign ministers, from 30 countries were participating in the day-long talks which follow up discussions at the Istanbul conference last November. The meeting brought together delegates from international organisations such as NATO, the European Union, the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation and the UN. UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, in a recorded message to the conference, said that Afghanistan and its neighbours needed to work together to push forward the Istanbul Process. On Wednesday, Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Fu Ying in a meeting with Karzai conveyed China's support to Afghanistan in strengthening relations with the regional countries. He also expressed China's readiness to work with relevant countries to make contributions to the peace, stability and development of Afghanistan and the region. UN special envoy Jan Kubis, British Foreign Secretary William Hague, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and Pakistani Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar are among the participants in the talks on security transfer and peace process in Afghanistan as well as regional strategies to combat terrorism and drug trafficking. In November 2011, representatives of Afghanistan's neighbouring countries and near-neighbours met in Turkey, and reached an agreement known as Istanbul Process. The conference presented a new vision for regional cooperation and promoting a stronger and sustainable economic future.
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