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(Recast) Afghanistan, Australia share "strong bond": Aussie PM

Xinhua, April 3, 2017 Adjust font size:

Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has said that Afghanistan and Australia share "strong bond".

Turnbull made the remarks while welcoming Afghan President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani who arrived in Australia for a visit overnight.

Ghani is the first Afghan leader to visit Australia and his three day visit will include discussions with Australian leaders on regional security, building capacity in the public sector and female empowerment.

Turnbull released a statement late Sunday, saying "Afghanistan and Australia share a solid connection which has been forged over more than a century of shared history and contact between our two peoples" .

"From the early Afghan cameleers in the 1860s, through to the Australian military effort to free Afghanistan from terrorism, the two nations have long maintained a healthy partnership, built on a foundation of mutual respect."

In addition, the Australian prime minister said the three-day visit also involves a number of discussions regarding regional security in the Middle East.

"During this visit, discussions will focus on our ongoing security and development cooperation to help Afghanistan in its efforts to become more prosperous, secure and self-reliant," he said.

"In particular, we will seek to enhance partnership between our nations in a number of fields including women's and girls' empowerment, public sector capacity building and agricultural productivity."

Ghani's visit to Australia is expected to conclude on Wednesday. Endit