EU officials have called on Afghanistan's neighbors to continue their humanitarian assistance and not exploit Afghan refugees.

At a meeting on Afghanistan in Tajikistan on Monday, EU foreign policy chief Joseph Borrell said that the European Union would help countries in the region. The EU foreign policy chief met with the foreign ministers of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, and Turkmenistan's deputy foreign minister for Afghanistan.

"I am very pleased to be here; we want to step up our joint efforts to manage some of the common challenges posed by the situation in Afghanistan," Borrell said. "If the countries of Central Asia are determined in their commitment to reform and democracy, the European Union can make a great contribution to the future of the region."

Mr. Borrell also presented his € 1 billion plan to support Afghanistan and its neighbors. "I believe we have the potential to do more than we think, and we need to expand the level of cooperation in our regions to make it more effective at the regional level," Borrell said. "We are trying to cooperate and help the people of Afghanistan, given the current situation in Afghanistan."

The foreign ministers of Central Asian countries and EU officials are talking about the current situation in Afghanistan and expressing concern that Afghans are currently going through difficult times due to the escalation of the economic and financial crisis in the country.