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US does not pursue Afghan peace plan minus Pakistan

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Islamabad, Aug 4, IRNA -- US Special Envoy for Afghanistan and Pakistan Marc Grossman told Pakistani Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani here Wednesday United States does not contemplate any reconciliation process in Afghanistan without Pakistan.

“US does not foresee any reconciliation in Afghanistan without Pakistan,” the US envoy said in a meeting with Prime Minister Gilani, the PM office said.

Ambassador Grossman said it was a mistake to abandon Pakistan after the Soviet withdrawal in early 1990s from Afghanistan and said the same would not be repeated.

Ambassador Grossman agreed with the Prime Minister on the need for the repatriation of the 3.5 million Afghan Refugees still on Pakistani soil.

Ambassador Grossman appreciated and agreed with the Prime Minister’s views about the criticality of economic development as an essential part of an Afghan and Afghan owned reconciliation process.

The Prime Minister reiterated the joint resolve of Pakistan and Afghanistan’s Leadership to root out militancy and terrorism as both the countries had suffered severely the impact in terms of loss of precious lives and property, instability in their countries as well as economic set back due to insecurity.

The Prime Minster emphasized that the US, Afghanistan and Pakistan should be on the same page to deny any space to the militants to capitalize on, and was looking forward a positive outcomes of the forthcoming Istanbul and the Bonn Conferences. The visit of the US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to Pakistan would be an opportunity for exchange of views on multiple subjects adding that positive messaging both from Washington and Islamabad is important to deny space to the militants.

The Prime Minister also underlined the apprehensions that as in the past Pakistan may once again suffer the negative fall out of the Afghanistan problem. Ambassador Grossman at this said that the US would not commit the same mistake of abandoning Pakistan.

The Prime Minister said that Pakistan was working to ensure Afghanistan’s Connectivity in the region through the Trade Agreement (APTA) which should extend to the Central Asian Republics also.

The Prime Minister said that it was extremely important for Pakistan to see a sovereign, stable and prosperous Afghanistan because it was in our best interests as well as of the region.

The Prime Minister said that he was happy that his idea of three Ds (dialogue, development and deterrence) was being realized as a way forward by the international community to achieve security and stability through economic development.

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Islamic Republic News Agency/IRNA NewsCode: 30506244