ISLAMABAD, Pakistan: The advisor on foreign affairs Sartaj Aziz has said that Pakistan and the United States want resumption of Afghan government-Taliban talks, however the Kabul has not yet approached Islamabad regarding contacts with the militant group.
Talking to a private news channel, the advisor said that both Pakistan and the US fully support the Afghan reconciliation process. But it is up to the Afghan government to decide whether they want the same or not.
Sartaj Aziz said that Pakistan has some influence on Taliban but it has no control over them. He said that it is up to the Afghan government to resume talks with Taliban and our job is just of a facilitator.
The advisor said that the international community has concerns about the Afghan issue and no world power wants war in Afghanistan.
In July, Pakistan hosted the first round of talks between the Afghan government and the Taliban which resulted in a positive manner as the two sides expressed their willingness to bring peace in the war-torn country and also agreed to continue the dialogue process.
However, the second round of talks which was again to be held in Pakistan was postponed just before the scheduled meeting. The cancellation was caused by the official announcement about the death of Taliban Chief Mullah Omar.
Since then, the world powers including the US as well as neighboring Pakistan have sought the resumption of talks between the two sides in Afghanistan.
In a recent meeting held on October 22 between the US President Barack Obama and Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif in Washington, both leaders expressed their commitment to advance an Afghan-owned and Afghan-led peace and reconciliation process between the Afghan government and the Afghan Taliban.
The two leaders also called on Taliban leaders to enter into direct talks with Kabul and work toward a sustainable peace settlement.
