The isolation of Afghanistan is a path toward catastrophe and a new cycle of internal and external conflicts, Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) Secretary-General Sergey Lebedev said on Friday.

"The CIS' position regarding Afghanistan remains pragmatic and consistent. Isolating Kabul is a path to catastrophe and a new round of internal and external conflicts. The Commonwealth nations maintain an ongoing dialogue with the Afghan government, based on respect for the specific national circumstances of Afghanistan," Lebedev said during a conference held by the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO), the CIS and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), which focused on security issues in Central Asia and Afghanistan.

The secretary-general said both the CIS and Kabul clearly understand that only by establishing a solid economic foundation will the Afghan people be able to determine their own destiny and eliminate the root causes and conditions that previously contributed to the country's dire situation.

"CIS member states are systematically advancing initiatives designed to more fully unlock Afghanistan's economic potential. Integrating Afghanistan into regional infrastructure and energy projects, developing trade with Central Asian nations, offers a tangible way to shift toward peaceful, constructive engagement with its neighbors," Lebedev said.

@Sputnik