Kazakhstan’s special envoy for Afghanistan, Yerkin Tukumov, met Taliban Interior Minister Sirajuddin Haqqani and called for strengthened border security and continued cooperation on counter-narcotics, the Taliban-run Interior Ministry said on Tuesday.
According to the ministry, Tukumov also discussed plans to advance a proposed railway project linking Afghanistan with Kazakhstan via Turkmenistan.
Haqqani told the envoy that Afghanistan “is on a path toward stability, trade and development,” and said they expect “goodwill and regional cooperation” from Kazakhstan.
Tukumov’s remarks come amid renewed concerns among Central Asian states about security threats emanating from Afghanistan.
The Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO), of which Kazakhstan is a member, has previously warned of rising regional risks linked to militant groups operating in or near Afghanistan.
The CSTO Security Council earlier approved a plan to reinforce Tajikistan’s border with Afghanistan.
