The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) intends to strengthen the presence of its observers at the presidential elections in Afghanistan on April 5, 2014, OSCE Chairperson-in-Office and Ukrainian Foreign Minister Leonid Kozhara has said.

"We all recognize the need to strengthen our interaction in Afghanistan, especially in the context of the significant changes in this country and the withdrawal of the International Security Assistance Force next year," he said at a meeting of the OSCE Ministerial Council in Kyiv on Thursday.

Kozhara also welcomed the recent decision to station an OSCE/ODIHR group at the elections in Afghanistan.

"All this will help strengthen international efforts aimed at achieving long-term stability and security in Afghanistan," he said.