Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi on Tuesday said that negative statements cannot cloud Pakistan’s positive contribution to the Afghan peace process, adding that blame game will not serve the region.
The foreign minister expressed these views during a meeting with Foreign Minister of Afghanistan Hanif Atmar held on the sidelines of Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Council of Foreign Ministers meeting in Dushanbe. During the meeting, views were exchanged on the latest developments in Afghanistan and the way forward.
Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi reaffirmed Pakistan’s consistent support to a peaceful and united Afghanistan, at peace with itself and with its neighbours. “Pakistan supports a peaceful and stable Afghanistan, which would yield mutual dividends and benefits in terms of peace in the region, economic prosperity and regional connectivity,” he added.
In view of the withdrawal of international forces from Afghanistan, the foreign minister urged the Afghan leaders to achieve a negotiated political settlement at the earliest, adding that such an outcome would bring peace, stability and prosperity in Afghanistan. He remarked that Afghan leaders should seize the historic opportunity and take advantage of international convergence on the final settlement of the Afghan conflict by working together an inclusive, broad-based and comprehensive political settlement.
The foreign minister expressed concerns on high level of violence, which has resulted in innumerable loss of lives. He emphasized immediate steps to decrease violence, leading to comprehensive ceasefire. He urged his Afghan counterpart to address all concerns through established institutional mechanisms, including APAPPS. He said that Pakistan looks forward to hosting review meeting of APAPPS in Islamabad at the earliest. Separately, Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi briefed his Kazakh counterpart Mukhtar Tileuberdi about Pakistan’s focus from geo-strategic to geo-economic approach. During a meeting on the margins of the SCO Council of Foreign Ministers meeting in Dushanbe, the two foreign ministers reviewed entire gamut of bilateral relations.
Foreign minister Qureshi emphasised regular convening of various institutional mechanisms to tap true potential of bilateral ties. He also highlighted importance of working together on regional connectivity projects which would give a boost to bilateral as well as regional trade. He also emphasised the need to facilitate trade through harmonising customs procedures.
The foreign minister of Kazakhstan concurred with foreign minister Qureshi on the need to convene regularly institutional mechanisms to advance bilateral relations. The two sides appreciated close cooperation at multilateral fora including SCO and CICA Summit.
Discussing the evolving situation in Afghanistan, Foreign Minister Qureshi briefed the Kazakh minister on Pakistan’s perspective and its consistent support to the Afghan peace process. The two foreign ministers shared the view that the situation in Afghanistan was critical. They agreed that it was extremely important to continue support to the Afghan peace process to avoid another cycle of civil war which would impact the region negatively.
