Trilateral dialogue: Pakistan, China and Afghanistan agree on enhanced mutual cooperation
ISLAMABAD (92 News) – Pakistan, China and Afghanistan Saturday agreed on enhancing their mutual cooperation (plus cooperation) during third round of China-Afghanistan-Pakistan Trilateral Foreign Ministers' Dialogue in Islamabad.
Addressing a joint news conference along with his Chinese and Afghan counterparts, Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi said during the meeting Afghan peace process was reviewed as well as enhancing people to people contacts, regional connectivity and host of other issues of mutual interest.
The Minister said there has been considerable improvement in Pak-Afghan relations. President Ashraf Ghani's visit in June this year was a leap forward and we want to build on that.
He said President Ashraf Ghani and Prime Minister Imran Khan also had a good interaction on the sidelines of OIC meeting in Saudi Arabia earlier this year.
Shah Mahmood Qureshi said we are happy that APACS mechanism was reviewed for the first time and we agreed that it is a useful mechanism and should be improved.
The Foreign Minister said we are excited that Afghan peace process is witnessing progress and will move forward.
He expressed optimism that we would move to the next stage of Intra -Afghan negotiations for sustainable and durable peace in Afghanistan and the whole region.
Foreign Minister reiterated his invitation to President Ashraf Ghani to join the inauguration of round the clock opening ceremony at Torkham border.
He said we also feel that China is not only a close friend, but a trusted partner and good friend of Pakistan.
Shah Mahmood Qureshi said with the progress in regional connectivity, entire region including Pakistan and Afghanistan will benefit.
He said the next trilateral meeting will be held in Beijing next year.
Replying to a question, Foreign Minister said Pakistan will never allow its soil to be used against Afghanistan.
Afghan Foreign Minister Salahuddin Rabbani said Afghan government continues to demonstrate its commitment to peace process. However, Taliban have yet to show genuine commitment for peace. He said this is manifested in terrorist attacks on daily basis by killing a number of common people.
He said we recognize that bilateral relations between Pakistan and Afghanistan need to improve for peaceful neighborhood and region.
Salahuddin Rabbani said Afghans are paying the ultimate sacrifice as a frontline state against terrorism and this must be recognized. By strengthening political ties and increasing efforts for peace as well as completing the commitments under this and other forums, Afghan government is fully agreed with the objectives of the trilateral dialogue.
He said we need to build on new momentum reached in bilateral ties between Pakistan and Afghanistan. He expressed hope that any issues between the two countries can be worked upon. He said security is one of the important issues in trilateral dialogue.
Speaking on the occasion, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said that the trilateral meeting discussed the Afghan-led peace process at length and we are agree to work together to make this process successful.
He said Afghan peace process is on successful stage and both Taliban and Afghan government should play their due role for successful conclusion of their negotiations.
Wang Yi said all three countries will make efforts for durable peace and stability in the region, promoting people to people contacts.
He said the meeting agreed that steps will be taken to include Afghanistan in CPEC. He said capacity building initiatives will also be taken to counter terrorism and to meet security issues in the region.
They condemned the recent terrorist attacks in Kabul, Kunduz, Baghlan and Farah, which have taken many innocent civilian lives including women and children.
China, Afghanistan and Pakistan, while closely following recent developments in the regional situation, reiterated their support for a politically negotiated settlement of the conflict in Afghanistan.
In this regard, they took note of the talks between the U.S. and the Taliban.
They expressed hope that intra-Afghan negotiations including direct talks between the Afghan government and the Taliban begin soon and lead to full cessation of violence bringing lasting peace for the people of Afghanistan.
They particularly underlined the need for an inclusive, Afghan-led and Afghan-owned peace process leading to a comprehensive agreement for durable peace and stability in the country.
Based on respect for the will of the Afghan people, while appreciating the efforts made by the Government of Afghanistan, China and Pakistan expressed their continued support for Afghanistan's peace and reconciliation process as well as for the efforts towards reconstruction and economic development in the country.
The three sides reaffirmed their commitment to further strengthening their relations, exploring new ways of deepening cooperation, including advancing connectivity under the Belt and Road Initiative, Regional Economic Cooperation Conference on Afghanistan and other regional economic initiatives.
They agreed to explore 'China-Afghanistan-Pakistan plus' cooperation, as well as working towards promoting trade and connectivity projects between Afghanistan and Pakistan, such as Kabul-Peshawar Motorway.
The three sides welcomed the progress made on implementation of projects agreed under the China-Afghanistan-Pakistan Practical Cooperation Dialogue.
They agreed to continue cooperation in the fields of economic development, capacity building, improving livelihood and people-to-people exchanges.
China expressed its readiness to support construction of refrigeration storages, clinic centers, drinking water supply schemes and immigration reception centers at crossing points between Afghanistan and Pakistan to facilitate the movement of people and trade activities among the two countries.
The three sides welcomed the plans to hold a trilateral friendly cricket tournament among junior cricket teams of the three countries in Beijing next month.
They also agreed to arrange a capacity building workshop of young diplomats from the three countries under the Junior Diplomats Exchange Program to be held in Pakistan next month.
The three Foreign Ministers agreed to organize an Archaeologists' Exchange Program, explore cooperation among the Red Crescent Societies of the three countries, besides regularly undertaking exchange projects in the areas of media, think-tanks, sports and joint training.
China, Afghanistan and Pakistan reiterated their strong resolve to fight terrorism in all its forms and manifestations and without any distinction.
They reaffirmed commitment of not letting any terrorist organization, element or individual use their soils against any country.
They also decided to work towards effectively implementing the trilateral MoU on Cooperation in Counter-terrorism, signed at the 2nd round of Trilateral Foreign Ministers' Dialogue held in Kabul, and agreed on a list of initial projects of enhancing counter-terrorism cooperation in this regard.
They recognized the need to continue their joint fight against Eastern Turkistan Islamic Movement and its supporters and facilitators.
The three sides committed to promote measures to counter terrorist's logistical capabilities including terror-financing, recruitment and training.
They also agreed to take advantage of the trilateral Vice-Ministerial Strategic Dialogue, the Vice-Ministerial Consultation on Counter-Terrorism and Security, and the Director-General Level Practical Cooperation Dialogue to implement the consensus of the 3rd Foreign Ministers' Dialogue.
The three countries decided to hold the next round of Trilateral Foreign Ministers' Dialogue in Beijing next year.
During tripartite meeting, China assured to provide help in constructing Peshawar-Kabul Motorway.
Immigration centres, medical centres, water supply and cold storages will be constructed at border corridors, the joint declaration said.
The countries will now allow to use their territories against each other, it further added.
Joint efforts for political trust, promoting regional peace vowed
Pakistan, China and Afghanistan have agreed to continue their joint efforts for building political mutual trust and supporting reconciliation, regional peace and stability, development cooperation and connectivity, security cooperation and counter-terrorism as key areas of the trilateral cooperation. The agreement came in a joint statement issued after the 3rd round of China-Afghanistan-Pakistan Foreign Ministers' Dialogue held in Islamabad today (Saturday). Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi and his Afghan and Chinese Counterparts Salahuddin Rabbani and Wang Yi attended the meeting along with their respective delegations. The three sides noted with satisfaction the progress made under the trilateral cooperation since the 2nd Dialogue held in Kabul last year. The three Foreign Ministers reiterated their resolve to further deepen various strands of trilateral cooperation.
They condemned the recent terrorist attacks in Kabul, Kunduz, Baghlan and Farah, which have taken many innocent civilian lives including women and children.
China, Afghanistan and Pakistan, while closely following recent developments in the regional situation, reiterated their support for a politically negotiated settlement of the conflict in Afghanistan.
In this regard, they took note of the talks between the U.S. and the Taliban.
They expressed hope that intra-Afghan negotiations including direct talks between the Afghan government and the Taliban begin soon and lead to full cessation of violence bringing lasting peace for the people of Afghanistan.
They particularly underlined the need for an inclusive, Afghan-led and Afghan-owned peace process leading to a comprehensive agreement for durable peace and stability in the country.
Based on respect for the will of the Afghan people, while appreciating the efforts made by the Government of Afghanistan, China and Pakistan expressed their continued support for Afghanistan's peace and reconciliation process as well as for the efforts towards reconstruction and economic development in the country.
The three sides reaffirmed their commitment to further strengthening their relations, exploring new ways of deepening cooperation, including advancing connectivity under the Belt and Road Initiative, Regional Economic Cooperation Conference on Afghanistan and other regional economic initiatives.
They agreed to explore 'China-Afghanistan-Pakistan plus' cooperation, as well as working towards promoting trade and connectivity projects between Afghanistan and Pakistan, such as Kabul-Peshawar Motorway.
The three sides welcomed the progress made on implementation of projects agreed under the China-Afghanistan-Pakistan Practical Cooperation Dialogue.
They agreed to continue cooperation in the fields of economic development, capacity building, improving livelihood and people-to-people exchanges.
China expressed its readiness to support construction of refrigeration storages, clinic centers, drinking water supply schemes and immigration reception centers at crossing points between Afghanistan and Pakistan to facilitate the movement of people and trade activities among the two countries.
The three sides welcomed the plans to hold a trilateral friendly cricket tournament among junior cricket teams of the three countries in Beijing next month.
They also agreed to arrange a capacity building workshop of young diplomats from the three countries under the Junior Diplomats Exchange Program to be held in Pakistan next month.
The three Foreign Ministers agreed to organize an Archaeologists' Exchange Program, explore cooperation among the Red Crescent Societies of the three countries, besides regularly undertaking exchange projects in the areas of media, think-tanks, sports and joint training.
China, Afghanistan and Pakistan reiterated their strong resolve to fight terrorism in all its forms and manifestations and without any distinction.
They reaffirmed commitment of not letting any terrorist organization, element or individual use their soils against any country.
They also decided to work towards effectively implementing the trilateral MoU on Cooperation in Counter-terrorism, signed at the 2nd round of Trilateral Foreign Ministers' Dialogue held in Kabul, and agreed on a list of initial projects of enhancing counter-terrorism cooperation in this regard.
They recognized the need to continue their joint fight against Eastern Turkistan Islamic Movement and its supporters and facilitators.
The three sides committed to promote measures to counter terrorist's logistical capabilities including terror-financing, recruitment and training.
They also agreed to take advantage of the trilateral Vice-Ministerial Strategic Dialogue, the Vice-Ministerial Consultation on Counter-Terrorism and Security, and the Director-General Level Practical Cooperation Dialogue to implement the consensus of the 3rd Foreign Ministers' Dialogue.
The three countries decided to hold the next round of Trilateral Foreign Ministers' Dialogue in Beijing next year.
During tripartite meeting, China assured to provide help in constructing Peshawar-Kabul Motorway.
Immigration centres, medical centres, water supply and cold storages will be constructed at border corridors, the joint declaration said.
The countries will now allow to use their territories against each other, it further added.
