 |
 | |
 Afghanistan |  Greece |
|---|---|
| Diplomatic mission | |
| Afghan Embassy, Athens | Greek Embassy, Islamabad, Pakistan |
Diplomatic relations between Afghanistan and Greece have existed for centuries, though the August 2021 Taliban takeover of the country has dampened relations.
The first contact between Greece and Afghanistan occurred in 330 BC when Alexander the Great entered the territory of modern-day Afghanistan. While there, Alexander founded several modern day Afghan cities such as Alexandria Arachosia (present day Kandahar), Alexandria Ariana (present day Herat), Alexandria on the Oxus (Ai-Khanoum) and Alexandria in Opiana (present day Ghazni). [1] Alexander also encountered Greek-speaking Branchidae people who migrated from Miletus to Afghanistan by order of Xerxes I with whom they sided with. [2] Nearly a hundred years after the death of Alexander, the Greco-Bactrian Kingdom and Indo-Greek Kingdom were founded in Afghanistan by descendants of Greeks who had settled in the area. [3]
The Kandahar Greek Edicts of Ashoka, which are among the Major Rock Edicts of the Indian Emperor Ashoka were written in Greek. They were found in the Old Kandahar. Also, the Kandahar Sophytos Inscription is an inscription in Greek made by Sophytos, son of Naratos, in the 2nd century BCE, in the city of Kandahar.
After the collapse of the Greek kingdoms in Afghanistan, there would be almost non-existent contact between Afghanistan and Greece until the Ottoman–Hotaki War from 1722 to 1727 when the Ottoman Empire (which Greece was part of at the time) fought against Afghan troops to obtain control of all western and northwestern parts of modern-day Iran. [4]
Greece donated funds to increase security at the National Museum of Afghanistan in 1993 and 1996. They later offered to buy some items and/or store them in Greece for safekeeping, as well as sent funds and experts to help with restoration after the United States invasion of Afghanistan. [5]
In 2001, Greece, as a member of NATO joined the International Security Assistance Force and sent troops to fight in the War in Afghanistan to combat the Taliban and Al-Qaeda.
In 2004, Afghanistan and Greece officially establish diplomatic relations. [6] In December 2017, Afghanistan opened an embassy in Athens, its first ever diplomatic mission in Greece. [7]
Throughout the years, both nations have signed some bilateral agreements such as an agreement for the establishment of political representation between the two countries (which provides further opportunities for expansion of friendly relations and bilateral cooperation between Afghanistan and Greece). On a yearly basis, Greece provides scholarships for Afghan students in the field of archeology, and for demining training. [8]
Since the war in Afghanistan began in 2001, there have been an increase in Afghan migration to Greece. As the situation in Afghanistan worsened, thousands of Afghan refugees have entered Greece and sought asylum, however, the majority of migrants in Greece are passing through to other European countries. In 2016, there were approximately 10,000 - 15,000 Afghans residing in Greece, the majority of them with temporary asylum documents and living in refugee camps such as Diavata refugee camp and in others throughout the country. Approximately 2,000 Afghans have settled and are living in Greece, most of them in Athens. [9]
The foreign relations of Afghanistan are in a transitional phase since the 2021 fall of Kabul to the Taliban and the collapse of the internationally-recognized Islamic Republic of Afghanistan. No country has recognised the new regime, the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan. Although some countries have engaged in informal diplomatic contact with the Islamic Emirate, formal relations remain limited to representatives of the Islamic Republic.
The history of Afghanistan, preceding the establishment of the Emirate of Afghanistan in 1823 is shared with that of neighbouring Iran, central Asia and Indian subcontinent. The Sadozai monarchy ruled the Afghan Durrani Empire, considered the founding state of modern Afghanistan.
Kandahar is a city in Afghanistan, located in the south of the country on the Arghandab River, at an elevation of 1,010 m (3,310 ft). It is Afghanistan's second largest city after Kabul, with a population of about 614,118. It is the capital of Kandahar Province and the centre of the larger cultural region called Loy Kandahar. Kandahar is the founding city and spiritual center of the Taliban. Despite the capital of Afghanistan being Kabul, where the government administration is based, Kandahar is the seat of power in Afghanistan as the supreme leader and his spiritual advisers are based there. Kandahar has therefore been called the de facto capital of Afghanistan, though the Taliban maintain Kabul is the capital.
The Islamic Republic of Pakistan emerged as an independent country through the partition of India in August 1947 and was admitted as a United Nations member state in September 1947. It is currently the second-largest country within the Muslim world in terms of population, and is also the only Muslim-majority country in possession of nuclear weapons. De facto, the country shares direct land borders with India, Iran, Afghanistan, and China.
The foreign relations of Albania are its relations with other governments and peoples. Foreign relations are conducted through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Tirana. The current minister is Igli Hasani. The current Ambassador to the United Nations is Ferit Hoxha.
The following lists events that happened during 2001 in Afghanistan.
Kandahār is one of the thirty-four provinces of Afghanistan, located in the southern part of the country, sharing a border with Pakistan, to the south. It is surrounded by Helmand in the west, Uruzgan in the north and Zabul Province in the east. Its capital is the city of Kandahar, Afghanistan's second largest city, which is located on the Arghandab River. The greater region surrounding the province is called Loy Kandahar. The Emir of Afghanistan sends orders to Kabul from Kandahar making it the de facto capital of Afghanistan, although the main government body operates in Kabul. All meetings with the Emir take place in Kandahar, meetings excluding the Emir are in Kabul.
Bulgaria–Greece relations refer to bilateral relations between Bulgaria and Greece.
Australia–Romania relations refer to bilateral relations between Australia and Romania. Australia is represented through its embassy in Athens, Greece, and a consulate in Bucharest. In the other hand, Romania has an embassy in Canberra and a consulate in Melbourne and Sydney. Both countries officially established their diplomatic relations on 18 March 1968.
Afghanistan–Pakistan relations refer to the bilateral ties between Afghanistan and Pakistan. In August 1947, the partition of British India led to the emergence of Pakistan along Afghanistan's eastern frontier, and the two countries have since had a strained relationship; Afghanistan was the sole country to vote against Pakistan's admission into the United Nations following the latter's independence. Various Afghan government officials and Afghan nationalists have made irredentist claims to large swathes of Pakistan's territory in modern-day Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Pakistani Balochistan, which complete the traditional homeland of "Pashtunistan" for the Pashtun people. The Taliban has received substantial financial and logistical backing from Pakistan, which remains a significant source of support. Since the Taliban's inception, the Pakistani Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) agency has been providing them with funding, training, and weaponry. However, Pakistan's support for the Taliban is not without risks, as it involves playing a precarious and delicate game. Afghan territorial claims over Pashtun-majority areas that are in Pakistan were coupled with discontent over the permanency of the Durand Line which has long been considered the international border by every nation other than Afghanistan, and for which Afghanistan demanded a renegotiation, with the aim of having it shifted eastward to the Indus River. Territorial disputes and conflicting claims prevented the normalization of bilateral ties between the countries throughout the mid-20th century. Further Afghanistan–Pakistan tensions have arisen concerning a variety of issues, including the Afghanistan conflict and Afghan refugees in Pakistan, water-sharing rights, and a continuously warming relationship between Afghanistan and India, but most of all the Taliban in Kabul providing sanctuary and safe havens to TTP terrorists to attack Pakistani territory. Nonetheless, the Durand Line witnesses frequent occurrences of suicide bombings, airstrikes, or street battles on an almost daily basis.
Afghanistan–India relations are the diplomatic relations between India and Afghanistan. They had been historical neighbors when India was under colonial rule and have since shared cultural ties through Bollywood and cricket.
Pakistan–Uzbekistan relations are the foreign relations between Pakistan and Uzbekistan. Pakistan and Uzbekistan are members of different international forums including the United Nations, Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) and Shanghai Cooperation Organisationn (SCO). Pakistan-Uzbekistan Joint Ministerial Commission (JMC) held on regular basis.
Afghanistan–United Arab Emirates relations refers to the bilateral relations between Afghanistan and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). In December 2022, Afghan Defense Minister Mullah Yaqoob along with Anas Haqqani made an official visit to the UAE. There he met with UAE President Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and Vice President Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum.
Afghanistan–Denmark relations refer to diplomatic ties between Afghanistan and Denmark. Afghanistan is represented in Denmark through its embassy in Oslo, Norway. Denmark used to have an embassy in Kabul until it was closed in 2021 due to the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan, that has not been recognized by any state in the world. Denmark has 760 soldiers in Afghanistan, operating without caveat and concentrated in Helmand Province. Relations between the two countries are friendly. About 9,578 Afghans live in Denmark.
Old Kandahar is a historical section of the city of Kandahar in southern Afghanistan.
Bangladesh–Greece relations refer to the bilateral relations of Bangladesh and Greece. Diplomatic relations between the two countries were established in March 1972, when Greece became one of the first countries to recognize Bangladesh.
Afghanistan and Mexico hold diplomatic relations, both being members of the United Nations and the World Trade Organization.
The Kandahar Bilingual Rock Inscription, also known as the Kandahar Edict of Ashoka and less commonly as the Chehel Zina Edict, is an inscription in the Greek and Aramaic languages that dates back to 260 BCE and was carved by the Mauryan emperor Ashoka at Chehel Zina, a mountainous outcrop near Kandahar, Afghanistan. It is among the earliest-known edicts of Ashoka, having been inscribed around the 8th year of his reign, and precedes all of his other inscriptions, including the Minor Rock Edicts and Barabar Caves in India and the Major Rock Edicts. This early inscription was written exclusively in the Greek and Aramaic languages. It was discovered below a 1-metre (3.3 ft) layer of rubble in 1958 during an excavation project around Kandahar, and is designated as KAI 279.
The Kandahar Greek Edicts of Ashoka are among the Major Rock Edicts of the Indian Emperor Ashoka, which were written in the Greek language and Prakrit language. They were found in the ancient area of Old Kandahar in Kandahar in 1963. It is thought that Old Kandahar was founded in the 4th century BCE by Alexander the Great, who gave it the Ancient Greek name Ἀλεξάνδρεια Ἀραχωσίας.
The Embassy of Afghanistan in Canberra is the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan's diplomatic mission to the Commonwealth of Australia. It is also accredited to New Zealand and Fiji. It is located in the suburb of Deakin, at 4 Beale Crescent. The current Afghan Ambassador to Australia, serving since 2017, is Wahidullah Waissi.
| Americas | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Asia | |||
| Europe |
| ||
| Missions | |||
| Multilateral | |||
|  | |||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||
