Quadrilateral meeting: Third round to open in Islamabad today
PM’s foreign affairs adviser to set agenda on finalising roadmap for talks
PHOTO: AFP
ISLAMABAD:
Senior officials from Pakistan, Afghanistan, China and the United States will meet in Islamabad today (Saturday) to finalise a roadmap for the resumption of crucial Afghan peace talks.
This is the third meeting of the Quadrilateral Coordination Group (QCG) established in December last year as part of a renewed push for reviving the peace process in Afghanistan.
Quadrilateral group ready to convince Taliban
Pakistan is hosting the third meeting of the four-way talks to be attended by Afghan Deputy Foreign Minister Hekmat Khalil Karzai, Pakistan’s Foreign Secretary Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhry and senior officials of China and the US.
The countries are discussing issues including where to hold talks with Taliban factions who decide to come to the table and what to do about those who chose to stay away.
Foreign Office spokesperson Qazi Khalilullah revealed that the Prime Minister’s Adviser on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz will preside over Saturday’s meeting. The spokesperson said the meeting will focus on finalising the roadmap for the talks.
The roadmap aims to set in place measures necessary for creating conducive environment for commencement of Afghan-led and Afghan-owned peace talks.
Quadrilateral meeting: Islamabad to identify ‘reconcilable’ Afghan Taliban
In the group’s last meeting, held in Kabul on January 18, all the countries urged Taliban groups to enter into talks with the Afghan government to resolve differences politically.
The group had also stressed the need for an end to what they called the senseless violence against the Afghan people.
Soon after the meeting, the Taliban had during the Pugwash Conference in Qatar reiterated their demand for the release of political prisoners as a condition to rejoin talks. They also asked to be removed from a UN blacklist under which its senior leaders are barred from traveling freely and their assets are frozen.
Published in The Express Tribune, February 6th, 2016.
Senior officials from Pakistan, Afghanistan, China and the United States will meet in Islamabad today (Saturday) to finalise a roadmap for the resumption of crucial Afghan peace talks.
This is the third meeting of the Quadrilateral Coordination Group (QCG) established in December last year as part of a renewed push for reviving the peace process in Afghanistan.
Quadrilateral group ready to convince Taliban
Pakistan is hosting the third meeting of the four-way talks to be attended by Afghan Deputy Foreign Minister Hekmat Khalil Karzai, Pakistan’s Foreign Secretary Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhry and senior officials of China and the US.
The countries are discussing issues including where to hold talks with Taliban factions who decide to come to the table and what to do about those who chose to stay away.
Foreign Office spokesperson Qazi Khalilullah revealed that the Prime Minister’s Adviser on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz will preside over Saturday’s meeting. The spokesperson said the meeting will focus on finalising the roadmap for the talks.
The roadmap aims to set in place measures necessary for creating conducive environment for commencement of Afghan-led and Afghan-owned peace talks.
Quadrilateral meeting: Islamabad to identify ‘reconcilable’ Afghan Taliban
In the group’s last meeting, held in Kabul on January 18, all the countries urged Taliban groups to enter into talks with the Afghan government to resolve differences politically.
The group had also stressed the need for an end to what they called the senseless violence against the Afghan people.
Soon after the meeting, the Taliban had during the Pugwash Conference in Qatar reiterated their demand for the release of political prisoners as a condition to rejoin talks. They also asked to be removed from a UN blacklist under which its senior leaders are barred from traveling freely and their assets are frozen.
Published in The Express Tribune, February 6th, 2016.