Turkey will work with
Pakistan to help stabilise
Afghanistan and prevent a new flood of
refugees, President
Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said Sunday.
"
Turkey is facing a growing migratory wave of Afghans transiting through
Iran," he said, alongside his Pakistan counterpart
Arif Alvi.
"We will continue efforts to enable the return of stability in the region, beginning with
Afghanistan," Erdoğan said.
"To do that, we have to pursue and strengthen our cooperation with
Pakistan."
"We are determined to
mobilise all the means at our disposal to succeed," the Turkish leader said.
The comments came with the
Taliban poised to take power on the outskirts of Kabul.
The Taliban resurgence comes after
NATO troops withdrew following a decision by US President
Joe Biden to pull out.
The
Pakistan president was in Istanbul for the launch of a naval vessel built by
Turkey for the south Asian nation that borders
Afghanistan and is a key regional player.
Turkey has several hundred soldiers deployed in
Afghanistan and has offered to take charge of security at Kabul's international airport after the US completes its military withdrawal by the end of August, provided financial and logistical support are forthcoming.
Erdoğan has also proposed to meet the
Taliban leader for talks.
The arrival of
Afghan migrants on Turkey's eastern border has become a hot political topic in Ankara, with the opposition pressing the government to take strong measures to stop the influx.
The government has responded by stepping up the construction of a
border wall with Iran in recent days.
"With this wall, we will totally
stop the arrivals," Erdoğan said Sunday.
