Trade: Afghanistan seeks to be "land bridge" on historic trade route

Afghanistan, has told the Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) it hoped to become a "land bridge", on the historic trade route that linked the Far East with the Mediterranean world and Europe.

Afghan Commerce Minister Hedayet Amin Arsala, told delegates that Afghanistan wanted to create,"an open trade regime which would allow Afghanistan to capitalize on its position as a land bridge between the Central and South Asian region".

The ECO consists of Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Turkey, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan.