Dec 28 , 2015
News
Gen Raheel visits Kabul, meets Ghani, Abdullah
Accord reached to carry forward talks with Taliban, convene four-nation conference on Afghan peace in January and strengthen border security, reconnaissance
RAWALPINDI: Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Raheel Sharif visited Kabul on Sunday and held meetings with Afghan President Ashraf Ghani and Chief Executive Dr Abdullah Abdullah and it was agreed to carry forward the dialogue process with the Taliban, says an Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) press release.
The leadership of both the countries also unanimously agreed to convene a four-nation conference on Afghan peace in January next year. They also agreed to enhance border security and reconnaissance
Discussions were held on mutual security related issues including information sharing, coordinated counter-terrorism operations on the respective sides and the way forward for the Afghan peace process.
The COAS stressed instituting an efficient mechanism for better coordination to preclude chances of any individual/group crossing over to either side. Notwithstanding the complexity of the prolonged presence of over three million Afghan refugees in Pakistan and intimate cross border tribal linkages, both sides reiterated not to allow the use of their respective soil against each other and agreed to sternly handle any elements crossing over and getting involved in violence on either side, through active intelligence sharing and Intelligence Based Operations (IBOs).
Discussing the way forward for the peace process in Afghanistan, both sides agreed to work in an already agreed quadrilateral framework. With a shared responsibility all the stakeholders would support and ensure the success of an Afghan government-led intra-Afghan dialogue and reconciliation. The first round of the quadrilateral meeting will be scheduled in January to work out a clear and comprehensive roadmap for a meaningful peace process with a clear demarcation of responsibilities of each stakeholder at all stages.
Both the sides agreed that they would pursue peace and recon with Taliban groups willing to join the process. The elements who would still continue to pursue violence will be dealt under a mutually worked-out framework.
Emphasising the need to improve bilateral relations, it was decided to establish a hotline contact between the DGMOs of both the countries and increase frequency of military to military visits for better coordination.
Later, COAS met Gen John F Campbell, Commander Resolute Support Mission in Afghanistan and visited Bagram Air Base where he was briefed on the capabilities of Resolute Support Mission and special operations. Matters of mutual interest, regional security issues with particular reference to reconciliation process in Afghanistan and better coordination for operations along bordering regions came under discussion.
Courtesy www.thenews.com.pk