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Pakistan renews Afghan army training offer

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Islamabad, June 25, IRNA -- Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi on Thursday reiterated his country’s offer to train Afghan army and police.

Pakistan on a number of occasions had extended the offer to impart training to Afghan army but Afghanistan has not accepted the offer.

Pakistani Foreign Minister met his Afghan counterpart Zalmai Rasool in Islamabad and reiterated the army training offer but there was no mention to the offer by the Afghanistan foreign minister when he spoke on his turn.

“Pakistan has once again offered to train Afghan national army, police and Afghan diplomats,” Qureshi said in his opening statement at a joint press conference with Afghan Foreign Minister.

He said Afghan diplomats can get training at the Foreign Services Academy in Islamabad and can attend short courses.

He said only military force is no solution to the Afghan problem but political reconciliation and economic development must be part of the strategy to win support of the people.

Afghan Foreign Minister Zalmai Rasool told the news conference that they have comprehensive discussion on security and bilateral issues. He noted that bilateral relations have improved tremendously.

He said he briefed the Pakistani counterpart about the security situation in Afghanistan, adding that without full cooperation between the two countries, peace and security will be difficult in both countries.

The Afghan Foreign Minister said that he briefed Qureshi about the next month international conference in Kabul and the Pakistani Foreign Minister promised to attend the moot.

The International Conference on Afghanistan will be held in Kabul that will bring together representatives of more than 70 partner countries, international and regional organizations and financial institutions to deliberate and endorse an Afghan Government-led plan for improved development, governance, and stability.

To a question Zalmai Raool said that Afghan government is pursuing a plan to reintegrate Taliban foot soldiers who have no links with al-Qaeda and other extremists groups and to lay arms.

He said financial assistance will also be given to families of the Taliban fighters who accept the constitution and give up fighting.

In the talks both foreign ministers agreed to grant counselor access to prisoners in jails, to discuss their cases and to extradite them, Qureshi said.

He added that date and details of the cases of the prisoners will be collected.