Pakistan reassured Afghanistan of its full support on Wednesday for the success of the ongoing reconciliation process between Kabul and the Taliban, but said the United States’ opposition to talks with the Haqqani network, the most influential Taliban faction, was impeding the efforts for durable peace in the war-torn country.
The assurance was extended by Pakistan during the first meeting of the “Working Level of the Afghanistan-Pakistan Joint Commission for Peace”, held in Kabul.
“In light of the understanding reached at the inaugural meeting of the Joint Commission at the heads of government level held on 11 June 2011 in Islamabad, substantive deliberations were held at today’s meeting in a cordial and constructive manner on a number of relevant aspects relating to the Afghan-led peace and reconciliation efforts with a view to ensuring its success,” a Foreign Office statement released here said. “The Government of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan reaffirmed its support for the Afghan-led and Afghan-owned peace and reconciliation process, and its readiness to encourage and facilitate a process that is all inclusive,” it said.
US OPPOSITION: A Pakistani official requesting anonymity said the Pakistani delegation, however, regretted that the United States was strongly opposing any talks with the Haqqani network despite the fact that its inclusion in the reconciliation process was vital for the success of the whole exercise to reach out to Taliban insurgents to pave the way for lasting peace in Afghanistan. “It was decided at the meeting that Islamabad and Kabul will continue with their efforts to persuade the US administration for peace talks with the Haqqani network and meanwhile Pakistani authorities will try to use their ‘good offices’ to press this Taliban group to enter into the reconciliation process with the Karzai government,” the official said.
According to the statement, both sides decided to set up specialised working groups to deliberate in depth on related aspects and propose concrete steps to move forward in a responsible and sure-footed manner. “Both sides agreed that the next meeting of the Commission will be held in Islamabad in August 2011,” it said.
The Pakistani delegation, led by Foreign Secretary Salman Bashir, comprised Mohammad Sadiq, Maj General Ishfaq Nadeem Ahmad, Maj General Sahibzada Isfandyar Pataudi and Alamgir Babar, according to a Foreign Office statement issued here. The Afghan delegation was led by Afghan Deputy Foreign Minister Jawed Ludin and comprised Masoom Stanakzai, Mohammad Umar Daudzai, Shaida Mohammad Abdali, General Hassamudin Marzi, Mohammad Younus Farman, General Afzal Aman and Fazal Karim Aimaq.