News
Sunday, April 17, 2011
Reconciliation with Taliban
Pakistan, Afghanistan upgrade peace efforts
* Pak PM, COAS and intelligence agency chief will now represent country on joint peace commission
* Karzai says upgraded commission has full backing of United States
KABUL: Pakistan and Afghanistan on Saturday agreed to a joint commission to carry forward the reconciliation process, following the withdrawal of foreign troops from the insurgency-torn country.
Pakistan’s premier, chief of army staff and intelligence agency chief would now represent the country on the peace commission, charged with finding a way of reaching a peace deal with the Taliban, Afghan President Hamid Karzai said on Saturday.
Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani and the Afghan president, who held exhaustive talks at the Presidential Palace, described the parleys as ‘historic’.
Gilani said that he, in consultations with Karzai, Chairman Professor Burhanuddin Rabbani and members of the High Peace Council, had agreed to establish the two-tier Afghanistan-Pakistan Joint Commission for facilitating and promoting reconciliation and peace.
“I have assured President Karzai that Pakistan strongly supports an Afghan-led and Afghan-owned process for reconciliation and peace,” Gilani said. He also extended Pakistan’s full support to the efforts of Karzai for initiating an inclusive process of grand national reconciliation in which all Afghans have a stake. “We firmly believe that this process must have full Afghan ownership,” Gilani said.
He said that the restoration of stability and peace in Afghanistan was essential for peace, security and well being of the people of Pakistan.
To a question about President Asif Ali Zardari’s recent statement wherein he warned that a destabilised Afghanistan could have a negative impact on Pakistan, Gilani said he fully endorsed his views.
Asked whether the United States was on board regarding the Pak-Afghan talks, the prime minister said, “The US is on-board. That’s our core group and whatever will be decided, will be among Pakistan, Afghanistan and the US.”
President Karzai, while speaking on the tripartite arrangement, said that his country welcomed consultations with the United States in this regard. He said Pakistan’s role as a facilitator was also important .
Karzai also noted that both the countries wanted the help of other ‘friend and brother’ Muslim countries, including Turkey and Saudi Arabia in peace talks.
About the role of the US in Afghanistan, the prime minister said, “Whatever is the policy of the US on Afghanistan, Pakistan will support Afghanistan.” Gilani said that he held in-depth consultations with President Karzai on the situation prevailing in the region and various initiatives that were being talked about for promoting reconciliation and peace. President Karzai described the message from Gilani on the reconciliation process as very ‘clear’ and ‘important’.
Gilani recalled his conversation with President Karzai and said he had particularly mentioned that “friendship with Afghanistan as a cornerstone of Pakistan’s foreign policy.”
The prime minister said the two sides had agreed to attach high priority to development. “This means optimally utilising our natural and economic complementarities and that of the region as a whole for socio-economic development and prosperity,” Gilani added.
“Together, we will, Insha Allah, write a new chapter of progress, prosperity, stability and peace in our region,” Gilani added. Gilani said it was Pakistan’s considered view that only by working a social and economic transformation the two nations would be able to realise the legitimate aspirations for stability, peace and prosperity. agencies
Courtesy www.dailytimes.com.pk