Afghanistan, Russia agree on deeper economic ties

Afghanistan and Russia, at their 2nd Joint Economic Commission (JEC) meeting on Tuesday, agreed to foster economic links and cooperation, said officials. A memorandum of understanding (MoU) was signed between the two countries on facilitating Afghan and foreign airlines to start flights between Afghan capital, Kabul, and Russian capital Moscow. According to Civil Aviation head of Afghanistan Hamid Zahir, whose remarks were picked up here, the Air Service Agreement, which was inked in 1956, was renewed with Russia. The Afghan Minister of Economy Abdul Hadi Arghandiwal led the delegation and said that they had agreed on cooperation in the fields of commerce, industries, aviation, higher education, energy and agriculture. During the meeting, Afghanistan informed the Russian delegation that the project implemented by the former Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) needed to be reconstructed. The Deputy Minister of Energy led the Russian side and said that they would try to enforce the agreements. The leaders of the two countries would meet in Kyrgyzstan two weeks later to discuss the protocols as Russia is willing to cooperate with Afghanistan in construction of new dams, railway lines and housing schemes, he further added.