Istanbul Ministerial Process Needs Boost

In late October 2014 China hosted the "Heart of Asia" ministerial conference in the framework of the "Istanbul Process". Started in 2011, the Istanbul Process is a multilateral vehicle led by Afghanistan with the objective to facilitate Afghanistan's reconstruction and security through inter-regional collaboration. The forum places Afghanistan at the center of the discussions providing a venue for advancing its needs and concerns. The Istanbul Process provides an avenue for continuous and effective dialogue within the region and emphasizes the importance of regional organizations. However, the process is having some difficulties.

Read more in "Afghanistan - The Istanbul Process in urgent need of more devotion: expert comment", Swedish Wire, November 4, 2014.

More info on the Istanbul Process is available at:

"Istanbul Process", by Wikipedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Istanbul_Process

"Heart of Asia - Istanbul Process", Afghan Government
www.heartofasia-istanbulprocess.af

"Heart of Asia - Istanbul Process", Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/HeartofAsia.ip

"U.S. Support for the Istanbul Process", U.S. Department of State
www.state.gov/p/sca/rls/fs/2013/208560.htm

"Istanbul Process", Afghan War News
www.afghanwarnews.info/development/istanbul-process.htm

Afghan Diplomat Training

A group of 15 young Afghan diplomats are receiving training by the U.S. and China on diplomatic, communication, and management skills. The text of a State Department "media note" posted on October 20, 2014 is provided below:

"A group of 15 young Afghan diplomats kicked off their training visit to the United States at a welcome reception hosted at the State Department this morning by Special Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan Daniel F. Feldman. The Special Representative was joined at the reception by Chinese Embassy Minister Wu Xi and Afghan Charge d’Affaires Mirwais Samadi.
This is the third year the United States and China have partnered to train the Afghan diplomatic corps on diplomatic, communications, and management skills. This year’s group includes fifteen early-career Afghan diplomats, who were selected jointly by representatives from the U.S. and Chinese Embassies in Kabul. In May, the participants participated in a two-week training program in Beijing sponsored by the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs. While in Washington, the group will learn more about U.S. policies regarding both Afghanistan and China, as well as the process of formulating and implementing foreign policy in the United States.
During their two-week stay, the group will visit the Chinese and Afghan Embassies, tour Washington, D.C., meet with diplomats and scholars from various think tanks, practice diplomatic simulations at the University of Maryland, and visit the United Nations and Afghan consulate in New York City."