The meeting was a part of the preparations for the Heart of Asia Summit to be held on November 2 in Istanbul by the Turkish and Afghan governments in cooperation, and to which all of the countries of the region are invited as well as supporters from outside the region. The meeting gave the countries of the region a chance to discuss as a group their approaches to regional cooperation, with a Turkish draft text as a starting point. The goal is to reach agreement on a proposal for enhanced regional security and political cooperation, which may be presented and discussed in Istanbul.
The meeting in Oslo was not secret, as underscored by the fact that it received broad press coverage in Norway, and media were invited to the opening.
Norway's role was to facilitate the meeting, while Afghanistan and Turkey have initiated the process that should be owned by the region as a whole. The next preparatory meeting is scheduled in Kabul on October 16 to follow up. Norway was glad to be able to fulfill the Afghan/Turkish request. This reflects Norway's broad approach to efforts to stabilize Afghanistan. The regional effort is consistent with our conviction that lasting stability, for Afghanistan and the region, is dependent on a political solution in Afghanistan that encompasses all directly affected actors.