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Pakistan supports Afghan reconciliation process

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Islamabad, June 26, IRNA -- Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani Friday announced Pakistan’s support for the process of reconciliation and integration in the neighbouring war-shattered Afghanistan and promised its help in the plan.

Gilani declared support in his meeting with the visiting Afghan Foreign Minister Dr Zalmai Rassoul, who met him at the Prime Minister’s House, officials said.

The Prime Minister reaffirmed his government’s position of strict neutrality and non-interference in Afghanistan’s internal affairs, a statement from the PM office said.

Pakistan, he said, has consistently supported the Afghan-led process of reconciliation and integration as its neighbour, sharing culture, values and traditions.

“Pakistan nonetheless is ready to lend a helping hand to the Afghan Government if desired, in the reconciliation and reintegration process”.

The Prime Minister drew the Afghan Foreign Minister’s attention to the fact that Pakistan has been consistently calling for installation of Biometric System along the border and increase in the posts to check the cross border movement of undesirable elements from both sides. He hoped that the Afghan Government will be able to give this proposal due consideration.

The Prime Minister underscored the need for both countries to work together to further strengthen the cooperation in the fields of intelligence sharing, defence, trade, economic development, education and culture. He reiterated Pakistan’s offer of training the Afghan National Army, National Police and civil bureaucracy and recalled that Pakistan had doubled the number of scholarships for the Afghan students from this year.

Foreign Minister of Afghanistan Dr Zalmai Rassoul in his response termed Pakistan-Afghanistan relations as most important for his country and added that without close cooperation of Pakistan, the Afghan Government cannot succeed in restoration of peace, the statement said.

Afghanistan also needs Pakistan’s support, he said, in the implementation of its strategy of reconciliation and reintegration in the country. He assured the Prime Minister that the Government of Afghanistan would never allow any country to use its territory against Pakistan.

On Prime Minister’s proposal on Chitral to Tajikistan road link, CASA’s 1000 MW project of importing electricity from Tajikistan and installation of Biometric System, Dr Zalmai Rassoul promised that these matters would be brought to the attention of concerned authorities in Afghanistan and would be positively considered for their fruition.