Qureshi arrives in S Arabia on 2nd leg of peace mission

RIYADH: Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi arrived in Saudi Arabia’s capital Riyadh on Monday on second leg of his two-nation tour aimed at defusing tensions in the region.

On his arrival at King Khalid International Airport, the foreign minister was received by Saudi Deputy Protocol Minister Azam-ul-Yaqeen, Pakistan’s envoy to Saudi Arabia Raja Ali Ejaz and senior officials.

Qureshi would be meeting his Saudi counterpart Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud to discuss regional developments in the wake of recent tensions between the United States and Iran.

A day earlier, Qureshi visited Tehran where he held separate meetings with President Rouhani, Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif and Governor General of Mashhad, Khorasan Razavi, and presented Pakistan’s firm stance on not siding with any conflict, but peace.

Iran on Monday welcomed Pakistan’s efforts to promote peace and stability in the region after Foreign Minister Qureshi paid a visit to the western neighbouring state in a bid to defuse ongoing tension in the Gulf.

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said “since Iran believes dispute among Muslim states will not benefit anyone, Tehran welcomes Islamabad’s efforts to boost peace and stability in the region”, Iran’s news agency IRNA said on Monday.

IRNA quoted President Rouhani as saying during his meeting with Qureshi that Iran-Pakistan boundary should be a “border of peace and friendship”, not letting certain groups to make it insecure.

Pakistan’s Foreign Office issued a statement on Monday on conclusion of Foreign Minister Qureshi’s visit to Iran, saying: “Iranian leadership appreciated Prime Minister Imran Khan’s efforts aimed at reducing tensions and advancing the prospects of peace through facilitation of diplomatic and political means”.

“President Dr Hassan Rouhani and Foreign Minister Javad Zarif expressed appreciation for the foreign minister’s visit and stressed the importance Iran attaches to its brotherly relations with Pakistan,” the statement read.

In his meetings, Foreign Minister Qureshi reaffirmed the importance Pakistan attached to its close fraternal ties with Iran and reiterated the resolve to further strengthen historic, multifaceted relationship between the two countries.

On Pakistan’s perspective on recent developments, Qureshi emphasised the importance of “maximum restraint and immediate steps for de-escalation by all sides”. He reaffirmed that Pakistan would not allow its territory to be used against anyone nor would become part of any war or conflict in the region.

The foreign minister informed the Iranian leadership that despite complexity of issues involved, Pakistan would continue to work for peace in the collective interest of the region and the world.

In this context, Pakistan would also continue to urge constructive engagement among all sides to preserve the peace and advance the prospects of a diplomatic solution, the Foreign Office statement mentioned quoting the foreign minister.