Iranian Defense Minister Meets Afghan President in Kabul

Posted June 19th, 2011 at 2:15 pm (UTC-5)
Leave a comment

Iran's defense minister met with Afghan President Hamid Karzai in Kabul on Sunday, the last day of a landmark two-day visit to Afghanistan aimed at bolstering bilateral ties between the two countries.

Brigadier General Ahmad Vahidi said the presence of foreign forces in the country is the main cause of rising unrest in Afghanistan.

On Saturday, Vahidi met with his Afghan counterpart General Abdul Rahim Wardak.

Reuters news agency quotes Iran's Defense Ministry saying that those talks focused on terrorism, drugs and arms smuggling, crime and border security.

Meanwhile, German Development Minister Dirk Niebel arrived in Afghanistan Sunday for talks on German aid to the country.

Niebel is expected to meet with Afghan Finance Minister Omar Zakhilwal to discuss the second disbursement of German funds this year, amounting to some $157 million.

Germany's Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development says it provides up to $615 million each year for civilian reconstruction in Afghanistan.