Pakistan army chief, US Kerry discuss security issues
IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency
Islamabad, March 26, IRNA -- US Secretary of State John Kerry and Pakistan’s Chief of the Army Staff General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani Monday evening discussed "reconciliation process in Afghanistan and security issues concerning South Asian region,".
General Kayani is on a scheduled visit to Jordan while Kerry arrived in that Middle East state on March 24, a Pakistan army statement said.
No further details were given in the statement.
It was the first meeting of Pakistan’s army chief with Kerry since he has assumed office in mid-December.
Kerry had been frequent visitor of Pakistan as a senator and chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.
General Kayani and John Kerry discussed Afghan peace process days after President Hamid Karzai accused Washington of colluding with the Taliban and holding secret talks in Qatar.
The US and Taliban had rejected Karzai’s claim as false.
Karzai had also been critical of Islamabad after Pakistani religious scholars boycotted a conference of Muslim clerics in Kabul this month, that was planned to adopt a joint approach against the violent extremism and suicide bombings which kill civilians.
Pakistan is believed to have deep influence on the Afghan Taliban and can play a key role to encourage the Taliban to enter peace process.
Taliban have so far refused to talk to the Afghan government on the plea that it does not have powers to make decisions.
President Karzai plans to visit Qatar soon to discuss the opening of Taliban political office in that Persian Gulf state. Pakistan and the US have already supported the Taliban office in Qatar.
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Islamic Republic News Agency/IRNA NewsCode: 1078928
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