Salehi met with Annan on Sunday on the sidelines of an international conference in Tokyo that has brought together representatives from about 70 countries and international aid organizations, including the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank to raise billions of dollars in aid for war-ravaged Afghanistan.
During the meeting, Annan underlined the Islamic Republic’s key role in the establishment of peace and stability in Afghanistan.
In separate meetings, the Iranian foreign minister held talks with his German and Japanese counterparts, Guido Westerwelle, and Koichiro Gemba, on bilateral, regional and international issues, including Afghanistan developments.
Salehi and Japan’s foreign minister called for further bilateral cooperation on the implementation of economic projects between Tehran and Tokyo.
At the Tokyo conference, international donors vowed to give Afghanistan USD 16 billion in development aid over the next four years.
The conference comes nearly three weeks after a global meeting in Kabul on the ways to stabilize the war-torn country and boost regional cooperation.
Insecurity continues to rise across Afghanistan, despite the presence there of some 130,000 foreign forces, some 11 years after the launch of the US-led invasion of the country.
According to a February report by the United Nations, 2011 was the deadliest year on record for Afghan civilians. The year’s death toll rose by eight percent compared to the year before and was roughly double the figure for 2007.
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