First of all it must be discussed and cleared that why regional cooperation is important or why the neighbors of Afghanistan or regional power should help afghan government to gain peace and stability in Afghanistan. The Importance of Afghanistan today is very obvious and well known. the United States has its own interests in Afghanistan, this country is important to the United States for a range of strategic, moral, economic, and historic reasons. Afghanistan is still a haven for some of the world’s most lethal anti-U.S. terrorists. However, instability in Afghanistan can spread outside its borders. Many terrorists and extremists in the West receive training in Afghanistan and Pakistan border areas. These extremists can cause violence and instability in some parts of the world where U.S. interests are engaged. These extremists pose a threat to U.S. soldiers and civilians, and to the stability of its allies in the world. As the world’s second largest producer of opium, Afghanistan also is a major exporter of drugs, both to Europe and increasingly to the United States.
In addition, Afghanistan itself occupies a vital geo-strategic position, near the Persian Gulf and the Indo-Pakistan border. Indeed, the importance of Afghanistan will grow in the coming years, as Central Asia’s oil and gas reserves, which are estimated to rival those of the North Sea, begin to play a major role in the world energy market. Afghanistan could prove a valuable corridor for this energy as well as for access to markets in Central Asia. Also, Afghanistan can serve as a trade link between Central and South Asia. Over two million Afghan refugees live in Pakistan and Iran, destabilizing Pakistan and constituting an ongoing tragedy in both of these countries. So this huge number of refugees should come back to their country and it needs Iran and Pakistan help and cooperation. One of the fundamental problems which remained from the time of Taliban is Relations among ethnic groups. This relationship has deteriorated since Taliban forces massacred different parts of afghan people and tribes. It means that if any regional power or countries try to support Taliban and help them they are going to play a bad role against the regional stability, development and peace. Narcotic trafficking which still is the main problem in Afghanistan and its neighbors unabated. These problems need to be solved. But of course Afghanistan itself and lonely could not do anything, that’s why the regional cooperation is a must.
Reconciling the interests of the regional powers seeking hegemony in Afghanistan is also one of the most important issues in Afghanistan that afghan government and the western powers specially the U.S. should concern it. Actually it is a necessary pre-condition for long term regional stability. In the past Pakistan was in favorable position to be the dominant external player in Afghanistan as the force it backs the Taliban appears on in a stronger position than those backed by Iran and Russia. Iran and Russia continued to back anti-Taliban forces and tried to intimidate the Taliban. Now days these regional powers and also the outside powers seek to control events in Afghanistan, the flow of arms and money to Afghanistan will continue, and in this way Afghanistan will remain unstable. It is clear that Pakistan’s quest for hegemony destabilized Afghanistan in the time of war and Taliban. Islamabad worked against peace when a settlement might reduce its influence. But Islamabad now also fears a lack of control in Afghanistan might create an additional security threat. According to some evidences many members of Pakistan’s military and intelligence services share the Islamist agenda of the Taliban. At the same time, it is not clear whether Iran, Russia, and other regional states favor mutual accommodation among Afghanistan’s various ethnic groups and sects or not.
But we can finally conclude that despite their many differences, the regional states also have several common interests that could lead to greater cooperation. Both Iran and Pakistan wish to end the large, and potentially destabilizing, refugee presence in their countries. All the regional states fear that Afghanistan will become a breeding ground for terrorists of all stripes - including ones that destabilize Pakistan as well as neighboring states. Any settlement must build on these common interests, both positive and negative. Most importantly, all regional powers must come to recognize that peace is preferable to continued conflict. To encourage this sentiment, afghan government should promote a set of guarantees, including agreements that no power will deploy troops in Afghanistan or use it as a base to destabilize neighbors. Pakistan must accept the new condition of Afghanistan, while Iran and the Central Asian states will avoid creating unrest to prevent a pipeline from being built or to weaken the government there. Finally, the powers must work together to ensure that no major ethnic group is a victim of extreme discrimination.
Afghan government and The United States should try to foster regional cooperation through multilateral initiatives and direct leadership. The UN effort a long-standing but somnolent diplomatic grouping that includes Afghanistan’s neighbors as well as the United States and Russia has achieved little. Although all participants supposedly support an end to outside interference in Afghanistan, most meddle actively. Afghanistan should try to convince all regional powers to agree to a common set of "rules of the game," which must be announced as part of a joint effort. This would entail a series of U.S. approaches to regional states to identify common ground and to build a consensus for a constructive Afghan alternative. The United States should also consider broadening the Pakistan Afghanistan dialogue, including sympathetic regional powers that share U.S. concerns over terrorism, and narcotics. Multilateral initiatives, however, are likely to meet with at best limited success without more active direct U.S. involvement. The reluctance of some states to cooperate on their own (and the internal instabilities and struggles occurring today in Russia, Pakistan, and Iran) will require a more forceful U.S. and Afghanistan policy. But Afghanistan stability and peace is more helpful and useful for Afghanistan neighbors or regional powers.
