An Afghan research center, Afghan Institute for Strategic Studies (AISS), is to hold a key conference in western Herat city early in October, with security and election the top of its agenda, said the director on Saturday.

"The 'Herat Security Dialogue II', which is an international event and organized by AISS, will be held on Oct.5-6 in Herat city, " Dr. Davood Moradian, director general of the center, told reporters at a briefing here.

He said the event will take place in "Qala-iIkhtiyar al-Din" or Herat Citadel with the participation of several national and international guests. Herat is the provincial capital of western Herat province, some 640 km west of national capital Kabul.

The announcement came as the country is preparing for the presidential and provincial council elections, slated for April 5 next year. The war-torn country is due to take over the leadership of its own security duties from foreign troops by the end of 2014, when most of foreign troops will leave the country.

The first and inaugural AISS conference was held in October last year, which was attended by 80 participants, representing 30 nations and organizations, a news letter of AISS said.



The AISS was established and founded by Moradian in October 2012. It aims to create an intellectual space for addressing strategic issues pertaining to Afghanistan in the wider regional and international contexts, the letter noted.