Istanbul Process

The Heart of Asia - Istanbul Process was established to provide a platform to discuss regional issues, particularly encouraging security, political, and economic cooperation among Afghanistan and its neighbors. This region-led dialogue was launched in November 2011 to expand practical coordination between Afghanistan and its neighbors and regional partners in facing common threats, including counterterrorism, counternarcotics, poverty, and extremism. The United States and over 20 other nations and organizations serve as “supporting nations” to the process.^[3]

On April 26, 2013,Almaty, Kazakhstan hosted the third Ministerial Conference of the Istanbul Process which gathered leaders from Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, China, India, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Tajikistan, Turkey, Turkmenistan, the United Arab Emirates and Uzbekistan, along with Western countries and international organizations, to discuss mechanisms to support regional cooperation. The April meeting focused on the creation of “Silk Routes Partnership for Migration” to promote further dialogue and cooperation on the issue of migration.^[4] The meeting also produced a declaration in support of Afghanistan’s development and the withdrawal of international forces. Kazakhstan’s diplomats supported regional efforts in the areas of counter-terrorism and counter-narcotics trafficking, trade promotion, the Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India (TAPI) pipeline, the CASA-1000 electricity project, and the expansion of the transit corridors under the Asian Development Bank’s Central Asia Regional Economic Corridor (CAREC) Program. Kazakhstan has helped to fund the Afghan National Security Forces and financed a fifty-million-dollar program to educate Afghan students in Kazakhstan.^[5]

Chairmanship

Membership

Ministerial Conferences

4th Ministerial Conference

The 4th Heart of Asia - Istanbul Ministerial Process was held in Beijing on October 31, 2014. The event co-chairs were Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Afghan Foreign Minister Zarar Ahmad Osmani.^[6] For the first time, China was the host of the Istanbul Ministerial Process. The October 2014 meeting aimed at promoting peace and co-operation between Afghanistan and its neighbors.^[7][8]

5th Ministerial Conference

The 5th Heart of Asia - Istanbul Ministerial Process was held in Islamabad, Pakistan on December 9, 2015. It was co-chaired by Mr. Salahuddin Rabbani, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Mr. Sartaj Aziz, Advisor to the Prime Minister of Pakistan on Foreign Affairs.^[9]

6th Ministerial Conference

6th Ministerial Conference of Heart of Asia summit, attended by over 40 delegates, including 14 from member countries from south east and central Asia, 17 from supporting nations, was held in Amritsar, India, from December 3 to December 4. The meeting was inaugurated by president of Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, Mr.Ashraf Ghani and Prime Minister of Republic of India, Shri Narendra Modi, and co-chaired by Shri Arun Jaitley, Finance Minister of the Republic of India and Mr. Salahuddin Rabbani, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan.

==Amritsar Declaration: Highlights==

• Terrorism, particularly, state-sponsored terrorism was identified as a key challenge and members agreed upon a concerted effort to dismantle all kinds of terrorism.
• Members reiterated their belief in principles of sovereignty, independence, territorial integrity, sovereign equality of nations as enshrined in the United Nations Charter.
• Members expressed their commitment to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
• Members called up for leveraging the cultural heritage of the region to drive economic and social development.
• Members consented on eliminating non-tariff barriers to trade.^[10]

==Side Developments==

• India asserted financial aid to the tune of $1 billion to Afghanistan to improve infrastructure and fuel the socio-economic agendas of the later. ^[11]

• India and Afghanistan also went for a bilateral meeting and a roadmap for air corridor was agreed upon, which is likely boost trade between the two countries.

7th Ministerial Conference

The 7th Ministerial Conference will be held in Azerbaijan in the year 2017. Azerbaijan will be co-chairing the process.

Senior Officials Meets

6th Senior Officials Meet

The 6th Senior Official's Meeting Heart of Asia - was held in New Delhi on 26 April, 2016.^[12][13][14] And its object bringing peace and stability in Afghanistan^[15]

References