Regional countries should play supportive role in Afghanistan: Khar
Khar says Pakistan to support all initiatives aimed at protecting and promoting sovereignty of Afghanistan.
ISTANBUL:
Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar said on Tuesday that neighbouring countries should only have a supportive role in ensuring peace, security and territorial integrity of Afghanistan and the Istanbul Regional Conference would help further this objective.
Speaking with APP in Istanbul, Khar said the conference was being attended by immediate and extended neighbours and other countries with stakes in Afghanistan.
The foreign minister said the conference would lead to different peace processes, including the Bonn Conference to be held next month and the Chicago conference.
She said the conference will give confidence to Afghanistan that all important players were supporting its initiatives for peace and stability.
Khar said Pakistan would support all initiatives aimed at protecting and promoting sovereignty of Afghanistan.
Commenting on proposals being floated by some countries aimed at creating a new security structure in the region regarding Afghanistan, Hina Rabbani Khar pointed out that there was no dearth of mechanisms in the region.
“We have so many mechanisms including the Shanghai Cooperation Organization in which Pakistan has an observer’s status, SAARC and ECO,” she added.
She said instead of proposing new mechanisms, efforts should be made towards the implementation of existing mechanisms for peace, security and development in the region.
Khar said any new structure would not benefit Afghanistan and any process for the solution of the Afghan problem should be Afghan-led and Afghan-owned.
The foreign minister said it should be for the Afghans themselves to decide their future. Being an important neighbour, Pakistan would support its efforts in this regard, she added.
Replying to a question about the inclusion of India in the conference, Khar said all countries that can help promote peace in Afghanistan are welcome and Pakistan has no problem with any country.
(Read: Pakistan, India and Afghanistan)
She said, “Pakistan is an important and responsible state committed to peace and security in Afghanistan.”
About the inclusion of Afghan resistance forces in the peace process, she said it is for the Afghan people and the government to decide on this issue.
Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar said on Tuesday that neighbouring countries should only have a supportive role in ensuring peace, security and territorial integrity of Afghanistan and the Istanbul Regional Conference would help further this objective.
Speaking with APP in Istanbul, Khar said the conference was being attended by immediate and extended neighbours and other countries with stakes in Afghanistan.
The foreign minister said the conference would lead to different peace processes, including the Bonn Conference to be held next month and the Chicago conference.
She said the conference will give confidence to Afghanistan that all important players were supporting its initiatives for peace and stability.
Khar said Pakistan would support all initiatives aimed at protecting and promoting sovereignty of Afghanistan.
Commenting on proposals being floated by some countries aimed at creating a new security structure in the region regarding Afghanistan, Hina Rabbani Khar pointed out that there was no dearth of mechanisms in the region.
“We have so many mechanisms including the Shanghai Cooperation Organization in which Pakistan has an observer’s status, SAARC and ECO,” she added.
She said instead of proposing new mechanisms, efforts should be made towards the implementation of existing mechanisms for peace, security and development in the region.
Khar said any new structure would not benefit Afghanistan and any process for the solution of the Afghan problem should be Afghan-led and Afghan-owned.
The foreign minister said it should be for the Afghans themselves to decide their future. Being an important neighbour, Pakistan would support its efforts in this regard, she added.
Replying to a question about the inclusion of India in the conference, Khar said all countries that can help promote peace in Afghanistan are welcome and Pakistan has no problem with any country.
(Read: Pakistan, India and Afghanistan)
She said, “Pakistan is an important and responsible state committed to peace and security in Afghanistan.”
About the inclusion of Afghan resistance forces in the peace process, she said it is for the Afghan people and the government to decide on this issue.