ISLAMABAD/ KABUL (SW): Pakistan would advise Afghanistan against the use of forces and instead resume Peace Talks with the Taliban; Pakistani media has quoted officials saying on Friday.
Pakistan’s National Security Advisor Sartaj Aziz is likely to touch upon the issue of stalled Peace Talks with Taliban as he attends the Regional Economic Cooperation Conference on Afghanistan (RECCA VI) in Kabul.
Addressing the conference, Aziz said Pakistan fully subscribes to the core objectives of RECCA for promoting a robust and multi-dimensional development cooperation with Afghanistan and trans-regional development cooperation among the countries of the region."It is heartening to note that objectives of RECCA-VI are also reinforcing framework adopted under the Heart of Asia-Istanbul process, which Pakistan is co-chairing alongside Afghanistan. This mutual reinforcement augurs well for a prosperous and peaceful Afghanistan", he said.
According to a senior official, Pakistan is fully convinced that the way forward lay in an ‘intra-Afghan dialogue’, but would ask the Afghan leaders to make a choice between the reconciliation route and fighting the insurgents, Dawn news reported, adding Pakistan will take a decision on its future line of action regarding ties with Afghanistan and the reconciliation process after Mr Aziz’s return.
The visit takes place amid heightened tensions between the two countries over allegations that terrorist groups involved in violence in Afghanistan continue to have sanctuaries in Pakistani territory. High profile attacks in Kabul last month had derailed the efforts started after the change of government in Kabul for normalization of ties.
The first round of talks was held on July 7 and another was planned for July 31 when the process was suspended after the Afghan intelligence agency released the information about Taliban chief Mullah Omar’s death.
The official claimed that the Afghan government and Taliban were close to a deal on lowering of hostilities ahead of the cancelled second round. He said eight members of the Taliban shura were in Islamabad when the July 31 meeting was called off.
“A real opportunity was then lost,” he regretted and put the blame of breakdown of the process on spoilers whom he identified as the Afghan agency NDS and former president Hamid Karzai as well as error of judgment on part of the Ghani administration, Dawn added.
Pakistan has already informed the United States and China regarding the messages Aziz will deliver to Kabul, Geo news has stated diplomatic sources saying.
ENDS
