Beijing, China -- Statement by President Ghani at the 4th Ministerial Conference of the Istanbul Process on Afghanistan --- Ladies and Gentlemen: -- Geography has placed us at the heart of Asia and history has made us a pivotal intersection of contending powers and ideas. Foreign policy, therefore, is intrinsically connected with domestic policy for us. Recognizing that we are at the intersection of five circles of international relations, our goal is to provide the platform for collaboration of these states, organizations, powers and networks of virtue. -- Our immediate six neighbors form our first circle. The Islamic world forms our second circle. North America, Europe, Japan, Australia, and members of NATO-ISAF form our third circle. Asia, being transformed into a continental economy, forms our fourth circle. And international development organizations, the UN, multinational firms, and international civil society and non-governmental organizations form our fifth circle. -- As the complexity is the result of history, we have no choice but to grasp it conceptually and lead and manage it in a principled yet pragmatic manner. In the interest of time, I will articulate some guiding principles: --- First, believing firmly in the cooperative advantages between and among states, firms and international organizations and virtuous networks, we intend to provide a solid platform for collaboration among governments and organizations in our five intersecting circles. -- Second, we have our ability to bring collaboration between China and the United States and NATO and ISAF is just an example as well as with China and South Asia initiative that we will be undertaking together. Our vision of the transformation decade and the program of action for its realization is being defined, owning and leading the process. Our interactions with our partners, however, will be based on productive dialogues and mutual respect, avoiding blame games. -- Third, we will articulate and implement a comprehensive reform program to create institutions accountable to our people and a state that fulfills the rights and obligations incumbent on states. We will, however, request our partners to make their assistance and support conditional on clear outcomes and benchmarks rather than notions of best practice regarding untested processes. Experiences have shown that budget support is the most important way of producing reform processes and creating bonds between the citizens and the state and we request a system of accountability that is second to none and we are intended to implement it. -- Fourth, we will never permit anyone to use our territory against another state or legitimate organization, expecting full reciprocity in return. -- Fifth, we view our foreign policy as a bundle of relations, the thickness or thinness of which depends on mutual trust and respect for our sovereign right to make choices that serve the interests of our people, the region and the world. -- Sixth, we are determined to lead and own the peace process through an inter-Afghan dialogue. We ask our neighbors and partners to assist us in this critical process by honestly and clearly communicating whether they have the capacity and the will to be of assistance. Seventh, we will measure and benchmark our efforts by the degree of our success in achieving our four simultaneous transitions. We ask our partners to join us in dialogue and action. --- Ladies and Gentlemen: -- My first appearance as the elected leader of my nation at a conference could have not been at a more auspicious occasion than in a Heart of Asia Conference in Beijing. I want to thank President Xi, Prime Minister Li and Government of China for inviting me to be the State guest of this great nation and for having honored me to open this important conference. Let me conclude by thanking the People’s Party, the Government and the People of China for their gracious hospitality and hosting the 4th Ministerial Conference. I commend their excellent stewardship in co-chairing the process since the Almaty ministerial conference. -- We count on the active engagement of the People’s Republic of China in promoting peace, prosperity, and stability in Afghanistan and in the region. We, the Afghan people are gratified by the attention and support, and look forward to the outcomes. -- We are determined to overcome the history; all we need is your assistance to do so. -- Read More, President of Afghanistan - Official Site, 31 October 2014, http://president.gov.af/en/news/statement-by-president-ghani-at-heart-of-asia-istanbul-process-4th-ministerial-conference