Pakistan backs China's role for Afghan peace: Aziz
Source : The Nation Date : 06-07-2014
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BEIJING - Pakistan fully supports China's constructive contribution and five-point proposal envisaged by Premier Li Keqiang for Afghanistan's peace and economic development.
This was stated by the Adviser to the Prime Minister on National Security and Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz while addressing the fourth Ministerial Conference on the Heart of Asia-Istanbul Process held in Beijing.
The ministerial conference is a powerful illustration of the international community's commitment to support Afghanistan in its quest for peace, progress and prosperity.
The adviser said that the Heart of Asia process had evolved into an important platform for collective endeavors in support of Afghanistan's stabilisation. Pakistan's involvement with the six confidence building measures (CBMs) was a manifestation of its abiding interest in promoting the shared goals of stability and prosperity in the Heart of Asia, through constructive regional cooperation.
The adviser underscored that Afghanistan had undergone historic transfer of power after recent elections. He congratulated President Ashraf Ghani on being elected as Afghanistan's president and forming a unity government in Afghanistan.
Aziz appreciated that a regional consensus had been achieved at the ministerial conference underlining the need to fully support peace and reconciliation efforts in Afghanistan and in helping Afghanistan's reconstruction. The adviser reiterated that Pakistan remains fully committed to support an Afghan-led and Afghan-owned peace process.
Pakistan's offer to host the next year's conference of the Istanbul Process was supported by the participating countries and the international organizations. Accordingly Pakistan would host 2015 Ministerial Conference of the Istanbul Process. Aziz met with Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu on the sidelines of the ministerial conference.
Both sides expressed satisfaction over the pace of bilateral cooperation. They hoped to step up progress in bilateral trade to a level reflective of friendly relations. Both sides expressed the confidence to speed up implementation process of MoUs signed between the two countries. Mevlut characterised bilateral relationship as close and forward looking encompassing a complete gamut of economic, trade and political relations.
He informed that Turkey would host a horticulture exposition on children and flowers from April 23 to October 30 next year and invited Pakistan to participate. Aziz said that Turkey and Pakistan could collaborate in flower and related exports. Both sides also discussed the current situation in the Middle East and challenges facing the Muslim world.
The adviser, during meeting with the Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif, discussed the bilateral relations and was of the view that economic and trade relations would be further strengthened when next Joint Economic Commission meeting takes place in Islamabad in 2015. Both leaders maintained that a number of high level visits envisaged between the two countries would also reinforce these ties.
Both Foreign Minister Zarif and adviser Aziz agreed on the need to strengthen border management system between the two countries. It was emphasised that the established mechanism of border control and management should be utilized to address the border issues. Next meeting of Joint Border Commission is expected to be convened in the near future.
Aziz also met with Adviser to the US President John Podesta in Beijing.
Their discussions focused on bilateral relations and recent developments in the region, particularly Afghanistan.
The adviser stated that Pakistan was determined to strengthen its relations with Afghanistan. Pakistan would extend support for an Afghan-led reconciliation process. He said that Pakistan was engaging with Afghanistan across a broad range of issues, including peace and security, trade and economic ties, reconstruction and rehabilitation, and regional cooperation.
Podesta underscored the common interest in meeting challenges like terrorism and praised Pakistan's efforts, as manifest, in the latest operation in North Waziristan. Podesta also reaffirmed continued US support to Pakistan especially in the economy and energy sectors. Both leaders noted with the appreciation that bilateral relations between Pakistan and US had substantially improved.