Pakistan and Iran hold informal consultations on regional situation including Afghanistan
Islamabad, Pakistan: Pakistan and Iran today held first round of informal consultations in Islamabad at the level of Director Generals of the Ministries of Foreign Affairs on regional situation especially the efforts of peace and stability in Afghanistan.
It is pertinent to mention that Afghan Ambassador Mehdi Hassan Hunar Dost met Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa on yesterday (Tuesday) and discussed Pak-Iran border security management and regional security including Afghan civil war.
According to a statement issued by the Foreign Office Pakistan here on Wednesday, Pakistani delegation was led by Director General (Afghanistan) Mansoor Ahmad Khan in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs while the Iranian side was led by Director General Rasoul Eslami of the Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, who visited Islamabad for these consultations.
Both the countries expressed their concerns over increasing terrorism and violence in Afghanistan, rising drug production and trafficking and expanding foothold of Daesh especially posed challenge for Afghanistan and its neighbourhood. They emphasized the need of concerted efforts and cooperation among all the states in counter-terrorism, border management and combating production and trafficking of narcotics. The two sides also underscored importance of dignified return and resettlement of refugees in Afghanistan.
The two Directors General reaffirmed commitment and support of Pakistan and Iran to the efforts of Afghanistan and international community for achieving lasting peace, stability and progress in Afghanistan, which is important for regional stability. Underlining that there was no military solution to the prolonged Afghan conflict, they emphasized the need of a credible political process owned and led by Afghanistan for an internal settlement.
Pakistan delegation stated that it attaches importance to engagement with Afghanistan in political, security, economic and people-to-people interaction to strengthen mutually beneficial cooperation between the two countries.
The ways for deepening regional economic cooperation and enhancing connectivity between the countries of the region were also discussed.
This was the first round of bilateral consultations with Iran on regional peace and security with focus on the situation in Afghanistan. The two sides agreed to continue these informal consultations as part of their strong commitment to peace, stability and progress in Afghanistan, and the region.
