-Reaffirms Pakistan’s determination towards peace
-Terms Intra-Afghan talks as milestone
-Notes peace, stability in region conditioned with successful Afghan talks
-Hails Turkish support over Kashmir dispute
-Invites Turkish counterpart to visit Pakistan
By Our Diplomatic
Correspondent
ISLAMABAD: Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi on Wednesday has reaffirmed Pakistan’s determination to continue to play a positive role for regional peace and security including the Afghan peace process.
He made the remarks during his telephonic conversation with his Turkish counterpart Mevlüt Çavusoglu. FM Shah Mehmood Qureshi thanked the Turkish counterpart for his country’s consistent and categorical stance on the Kashmir dispute.
He said Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan raised the voice of oppressed Kashmiri people at the 75th session of the UN General Assembly and this has given courage and confidence to the Kashmiri people.
The foreign minister said it is a matter of satisfaction that both countries share identical views on important regional and international matters. Qureshi also invited his Turkish counterpart to visit Pakistan. The Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavusoglu lauded the steps taken by Pakistan for regional peace including its efforts for peace in Afghanistan.
Last month, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan had told the UN General Assembly that the Kashmir dispute between India and Pakistan was a “burning issue”, and called for resolving it through dialogue.’
In a speech made via video-link to the 193-member Assembly’s landmark 75th session, Erdogan had said that steps taken following the abolition of the special status of Jammu-Kashmir further complicated the problem.
Earlier, Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi said successful intra-Afghan talks can crop up as a milestone towards regional stability and the Afghan peace process, as he met Pakistani Special Representative for Afghanistan on Tuesday. The two deliberated at length over stability and peace in both Afghanistan in particular and the whole region in general, noting that the ongoing peace talks can principally contribute to it.
Muhammad Sadiq briefed the minister for foreign affairs on the status of the Afghan peace process and also expanded on the intra-Afghan talks taking place in Doha, to which FM Qureshi said that the success in talks can herald peace and stability in the region.
Foreign Minister noted that the peace and stability in the region are conditioned with peaceful and successful Afghan talks. It is pertinent to note that FM Qureshi recently met the Chairman of High Council for National Reconciliation (HCNR) of Afghanistan Dr Abdullah Abdullah wherein the discussed the peace process and the relevant matter concerning the two neighbours.
HCNR Chairman Abdullah acknowledged Pakistani contribution towards the peace process and the underway intra-Afghan talks and said that the sincere efforts led to the Qatar agreement and wished that Afghan leadership may make the most of the unique opportunity.
Abdullah also said that for the repatriation of Afghan refugees and for its economic stability, the global community is to play its part while the foreign minister said Pakistan desires dignified return of millions of Afghan refugees to their homeland.
