Deputy Foreign Minister meets U.S Deputy Special Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan September 14, 2013 KABUL – Deputy Foreign Minister Mr. Ershad Ahmadi met with U.S. Deputy Special Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan Mr. Jarrett Blanc at his office this afternoon. The two sides discussed and exchanged views on a wide range of issues including the trip of the President Hamid Karzai to Kyrgyzstan for participating in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization Summit, continuation of negotiations on Afghanistan-US Bilateral Security Agreement, launching Istanbul Process Senior Officials meeting and International Contact Group meeting on the sidelines of the upcoming United Nations General Assembly, attracting further cooperation of the Istanbul Process member countries, and the recent visit of the President to Pakistan and his meetings with Pakistani officials to call for their further sincere cooperation in the peace and negotiations process with the Afghan government’s opposition groups. With regard to the role of regional countries in promoting regional cooperation within the Istanbul Process framework, Mr. Ahmadi said, “the major goal of the Istanbul Process which was launched in November 2011 is to expand regional cooperation among the countries located in the Heart of Asia; during several meetings, six confidence building measures (CBMs) were adopted and different countries undertook to implement these CBMs. At the Istanbul Process Senior Official meeting to be held on the sidelines of the United Nation General Assembly, the member countries will provide a report on the progress of the Istanbul Process and they will seek to find ways for tackling concerns and challenges facing this process.” With respect to the role of Pakistan in the peace and negotiation process with the Afghan government’s opposition groups, Mr. Blanc said, "in meetings with Pakistani officials, it was underlined that Pakistan has an effective role in securing peace and stability in Afghanistan and in paving the ground for continuation of negotiations between Afghanistan’s High Peace Council and the opposition groups. We hope that Pakistan will release those Taliban prisoners whose release would contribute to the peace process.”
Posted on: Sun, 15 Sep 2013 13:38:25 +0000
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