China says FM’s Pak-Afghan visit fruitful

BEIJING: China says the shuttle visit of foreign minister Wang Yi was a fruitful one as Pakistan and Afghanistan showed goodwill to each other that is a major step toward improving the relations. 

Answering a question about the foreign minister’s visit to Pakistan and Afghanistan, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Geng Shuang said the main purpose of the visit on 24-25 June was on the one hand to implement a consensus reached between Chinese and Afghan leaders as well as Chinese and Pakistani leaders in improving China’s relations with the two countries and on the other hand to conduct shuttle diplomacy at the request of the Afghan and Pakistani sides and as mandated by the Chinese leader for opinions from both sides and the understanding of the situation so as to help improve the relations between Afghanistan and Pakistan as our capacity allows and promote the reconciliation process in Afghanistan. 

He said Foreign Minister Wang Yi has stated clearly at the press conference that China never interferes in others internal affairs or imposes its own will on others but is always ready to lend a helping hand when needed by friends. FM Wang Yi had candid and in-depth discussion with leaders of the two countries during the visit reached a consensus and jointly issued a five point press communiqué. The communique said China Afghanistan and Pakistan are committed to safeguarding regional peace and stability, enhancing connectivity and economic cooperation and pursuing common security and development.

Second Afghanistan and Pakistan are willing to improve their relations and establish a crisis control mechanism that will enable effective communication on contingencies. Third, it is agreed to set up a dialogue mechanism among foreign ministers of the three countries for cooperation in areas of common interest starting from practical ones. 

Fourth the three countries agree to reactivate the quartet for peace and reconciliation in Afghanistan and call on the Taliban to join peace process as soon as possible. Fifth all the three support early restoration of Shanghai Cooperation Organization, Afghanistan Liaison Group to contribute constructively to the reconciliation process in Afghanistan.