FM leaves to attend Munich Security Conference

ISLAMABAD: Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi Thursday left to attend the 53rd Munich Security Conference, an annual event on global security issues, where he will co-chair a panel on Afghanistan with President Ashraf Ghani.

This annual moot sees foreign and defence ministers from important global capitals deliberating on international security policy since 1963.

Speaking to the media before leaving, Qureshi remarked, “President Ghani will put forward Afghanistan’s stance and I will present Pakistan’s point of view. I will put forth Pakistan’s views on different issues of regional peace and security in the conference.”

Immediately after the Munich meeting, Islamabad will be the scene of an Afghan meeting on February 18, where the Taliban will sit across the table with the United States special envoy Zalmay Khalilzad. In Munich, Qureshi will hold a bilateral meeting with Afghan President Ashraf Ghani, where he will take him into confidence on the February 18 meeting. Taliban are talking directly to all world capitals, but refuse to meet the Kabul government.

Qureshi will also meet with foreign ministers of Russia, Germany, Canada and Uzbekistan. Efforts are continuing to set up a meeting with Federica Mogherini, the European Union’s foreign policy chief.

“I will meet with a United States delegation comprising of senators and members of House of Representatives,” Qureshi said.

Relations between the US and Pakistan have entered an important chapter. From day one, I have been making efforts to renew these ties and thanks God, developments are taking place. Their recent statements are very positive and instead of pointing fingers at Pakistan, our role is being lauded,” remarked Qureshi. Reports from Kabul say that President Ashraf Ghani accompanied by his National Security Adviser Mohammad Hanif Atmar, Finance Minister Eklil Hakimi, President Ghani’s senior advisers Ahmad Nader Naderi and Mohammad Humayun Qayumi left for Munich on Thursday.

“Ghani will raise the issues of terrorism, extremism and security concerns of Afghanistan at the conference,” his office said in a statement.

A strategic agreement will be signed between Afghanistan and the European Union by Finance Minister Eklil Hakimi and Federica Mogherini, the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy.