Pakistan to attend Moscow talks on Afghan peace process

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan will attend the upcoming four-party meeting on Afghan peace process scheduled to be in Moscow, Foreign Office spokesman Dr Faisal Muhammad confirmed on Wednesday.

During the weekly press briefing, the spokesman said that Pakistan will be represented by the additional secretary for Afghanistan and West Asia. He said Pakistan had participated in the first round of four-party talks in Beijing in July this year.

“Pakistan has been part of all efforts and processes to facilitate the peace and reconciliation efforts in Afghanistan.

“Pakistan will continue its efforts as part of shared responsibility to make international peace efforts successful in Afghanistan,” he said.

A round of the four-party meeting on the Afghan peace process was held in Beijing in July. This was the third meeting of the trilateral forum, which includes China, Russia, and the United States, but the first in which Pakistan participated.

Pakistan has been making efforts to revive the Afghan peace process after talks between the Afghan Taliban and the United States were halted last month by President Donald Trump.

Earlier this month, US reconciliation envoy Zalmay Khalilzad held a meeting with the Afghan Taliban in Islamabad broker by Pakistan. Khalilzad has earlier said that US, Russia and China have agreed on the need for a comprehensive dialogue and permanent ceasefire in Afghanistan.

Regarding the upcoming talks, Foreign Office spokesman said the talks in Moscow are an ideal opportunity for revive the Afghan peace talks.

“The next round is being held in Moscow at an opportune moment as it would provide an important opportunity to review the currently stalled peace process.”

The spokesman was asked about the intra-Afghan dialogue being held in Doha, and reports that the Afghan Taliban have been invited to China. However, the spokesman said that he did not have any update on this development.

To another question, the spokesperson reiterated that affairs of Hong Kong is an internal matter of China.

He said Pakistan is committed to one China policy. He said Pakistan believes the measures taken by China and Hong Kong are aimed at safeguarding national sovereignty and Hong Kong’s stability and prosperity.