Afghan reconciliation process: US special envoy discusses Taliban prisoners’ release

David Pearce meets civil, military officials; corps commanders discuss regional security.


Kamran Yousaf December 08, 2012

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and the United States have agreed to expedite efforts seeking a peace deal with the Afghan Taliban before foreign forces leave the country by 2014.

During talks between Acting US Special Representative for the region David Pearce and senior Pakistani officials, the two sides decided to convene a meeting of the ‘core group’ to review progress in the Afghan reconciliation process, a foreign ministry official told The Express Tribune.

The core group, which comprises Pakistan, Afghanistan and the United States, has been working for months to evolve a joint strategy for the Afghan peace deal.

Recently, the trilateral mechanism achieved some success when the three countries agreed to give safe passage to those Taliban who are willing to enter the peace talks.

The official said Pearce, who is expected to be permanently appointed as President Barack Obama’s point man for Pakistan and Afghanistan after Marc Grossman’s upcoming departure this month, held meetings with senior civil and military officials to discuss recent developments.

Foreign

The US envoy, accompanied by US Ambassador to Pakistan Richard Olson, had discussions with Foreign Secretary Jalil Abbas Jilani on the recent move by Islamabad to release Taliban detainees.

The official said that Foreign Secretary Jilani briefed the US envoy about Pakistan’s efforts to help Afghanistan in reaching out to the Taliban.

“Peace and stability in Afghanistan is in Pakistan’s interest and therefore we are wholeheartedly supporting the Afghan-led reconciliation process,” the foreign secretary was quoted as saying by the official.

The trilateral meeting will discuss further steps to encourage reconcilable Taliban to join negotiations. The meeting is expected to take place in Kabul later this month.

A statement issued by the US Embassy here said US Senior Deputy Special Representative David Pearce held meetings with Pakistani officials to continue discussions regarding “how the United States and Pakistan can work together to identify our shared interests and act on them jointly.”

“I am delighted to be in Pakistan,” said Ambassador Pearce.  “Over the last few months there have been a number of significant high-level US-Pakistan bilateral engagements.  We have made real progress on issues critical to the interests of both of our nations.  I am meeting with officials in Islamabad today to continue this process.  I expect the United States and Pakistan will continue these engagements in the weeks and months ahead.”

Corps commanders’ meeting

Meanwhile, top military commanders discussed the current regional security situation on Friday, including the Afghanistan reconciliation process.

The meeting, chaired by Army chief General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani, reviewed recent steps taken by Pakistan to support Afghanistan in finding a peaceful solution to the decade-long war.

Sources said General Kayani briefed his top commanders about his recent visit to Brussels where he gave Pakistan’s perspective on the Afghan endgame and its implications for the region.

Kayani reaffirmed Pakistan’s stated position that it would support ‘an all inclusive Afghan-led and Afghan-owned’ peace process.

The Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) termed the corps commanders’ session as part of a regular monthly meeting.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 8th, 2012.

COMMENTS

Replying to X

Comments are moderated and generally will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive.

For more information, please see our Comments FAQ