New Delhi: Counterterrorism, regional security, and the situation in Afghanistan were the dominating issues during the meeting of "National Security Advisers/Secretaries of Security Councils" of Central Asian countries, who gathered in the national capital on Tuesday.

Addressing the Central Asian representatives here, Uzbekistan Secretary Security Council Viktor Makhmudov said today's agenda is important to coordinate efforts to ensure regional security and expansion of practical cooperation on Afghanistan.

"We should not allow Afghanistan to be isolated and leave it on its own to deal with social, economic and humanitarian crisis," he said. "Because this will lead to increasing poverty in the region. Peace in Afghanistan is important as it also has new strategic possibilities, opportunities and it can be an area of growth and transport corridors and markets in this area."

Tajikistan's Security Council Secretary Nasrullo Mahmudzoda said new challenges and threats, including cybercrime, cyber terrorism and environmental, and biological threats, are emerging against the background of instability and uncertainty in different parts of the world.

He underlined that the highly destructive ideology of religious radicalism is advancing rapidly. "In this context, security issues remain a key focus of our work."

"It is impossible to ensure international security without resolving internal conflicts. The situation in Afghanistan remains the most complex. Tajikistan committed to working closely with all countries to ensure peace, security and stability in our region and in Afghanistan," he added.

Marat Imankulov, Secretary to the Security Council of Kyrgyz, noted that central Asian countries and India have a common interest in developing measures to combat terrorism, extremism and drug trafficking. Imankulov also noted commonality in resolving the situation in Afghanistan and its impact on peace, security and stability in the region.

On the trade front, the Secretary to the Security Council of Kazakhstan said trade, economic and humanitarian cooperation between Central and South Asia is receiving a new impetus. "The condition for the disclosure of this huge potential is to ensure security in our space on the basis of coordinator approaches," he said.

During his remarks, Turkmenistan's envoy to India Shalar Geldynazarov laid emphasis on the need to join forces to strengthen partnership between Central Asian countries and India in countering all regional and global challenges such as international terrorism, drug-arms trafficking and cross-border organised crime.

"This meeting is considered by Turkmenistan as one of the mechanisms to develop a consolidated regional approach to ensuring peace and stability and providing security to Afghanistan," he said.