Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan Agree To Coordinate Humanitarian Aid To Afghanistan

The emergency ministers of Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan, at their extraordinary meeting in Tajikistan's capital Dushanbe, agreed to pool efforts and coordinate humanitarian aid to the people of Afghanistan. Russia's Emergency Minister Sergei Shoigu has told journalists that three corridors have been prepared for delivering emergency humanitarian aid. The first corridor will pass via the towns of Osh in Kyrgyzstan and Khorog in Tajikistan. The second corridor, already being used, passes via Dushanbe and the town of Kulyab, also in Tajikistan. The third corridor will pass across Uzbekistan. The minister said these routes are yet to be specified. Special groups in Moscow, Dushanbe and Osh will control the delivery of aid via these corridors. Other groups, in Afghanistan, will see that the aid is delivered to its destination. "Our task is to create conditions for Afghan refugees to remain on the territory where they are staying now," the Russian minister said.