US Secretary of State John Kerry, centre, meets with Afghan President Hamid Karzai, left, and Pakistani Army Chief Gen. Asfhaq Parvez Kayani on April 24, 2013, in Brussels. PHOTO: AFP
Afghanistan has grown increasingly frustrated with Pakistan over efforts to pursue a peace process involving the Taliban, suggesting that Islamabad is intent on keep Afghanistan unstable until foreign combat forces leave at the end of 2014.
Kerry is hosting the talks in Brussels involving Karzai and Pakistani Army chief General Ashfaq Kayani and Foreign Secretary Jalil Jilani, with the aim of calming tensions over border disputes and the stalled peace process.
Kerry told reporters at the start of the meeting at the residence of the US ambassador to Nato on the outskirts of the Belgian capital that Afghanistan was in "a critical transformational period".
"(I am) very, very pleased the president could travel, General Kayani and Secretary Jilani could take the time to be here," he said. "We are very, very hopeful for a productive series of discussions."
Karzai called it an important meeting and said he was glad Kayani and Jilani had found the time to travel to Brussels.
"Let's hope forward for the best," he told reporters.
Jilani called it a very important meeting, adding: "We are looking forward to a very productive and forward-looking discussion."
The talks come after a day after a gathering of Nato foreign ministers in Brussels at which Nato Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen said Pakistan must crack down on militants who use the country as a sanctuary to launch attacks in Afghanistan.
The meeting follows weeks of tension with Pakistan over their 2,600-km border and stalled peace efforts.
Afghan officials say Pakistan has a long history of supporting Afghanistan's Taliban and other insurgent factions. Pakistan has in turn accused Afghanistan of giving safe haven to militants on the Afghan side of the border.
US officials hope that Kerry, who has a good relationship with Karzai, can bring the parties back to the negotiating table and make constructive progress on an issue that has long-term security implications for Washington.
Rasmussen held talks with Karzai at Nato headquarters on Tuesday which he said focused on the legal framework for Nato's presence in Afghanistan after 2014.
Nato-led forces are expected to cede the lead role for security in Afghanistan this spring to Afghan soldiers, 12 years after the United States invaded Afghanistan to oust the Taliban government harbouring Osama bin Laden, the al Qaeda leader.
The White House has yet to decide how many US troops will remain in Afghanistan after 2014. Much depends on progress in negotiations with Karzai on a Bilateral Security Agreement to define the future legal status of US forces.
Correction: An earlier version of the story stated that Jalil Jilani is Pakistan's foreign minister, when he is actually the foreign secretary. The error is regretted.
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why is Gen Kaini representing Pakistan instead of its president and its foreign minister?
The Pakistani Border troops has entered many miles into Afghanistan the so called Durrand line and have built border posts, how would Pakistan react if Indians or Afghanistan did so? the Afghan National Army has taken some of the post out but there is still many other in place. Pakistan is not in a status to have an unfriendly neighbor or to anger its western neighbor. a powerful india and a hostile Afghanistan means dead to Pakistan if they are smart enough and start taking their posts back to where it belongs. if they are.
Pakistani general in tri-lateral talk is clear indications about who is calling shots in Pakistan. The Democracy in Pakistan is as dummy as North Korea's threat to go on war.
Do not say Gen Kiani rather original foreign minister of Pakistan.
@Nadir, the day people will realize this problem or reality our country will change , even Image speaks by itself.
I have nothing to do with Army chief or any other person but it is the matter of International norms/respect, a foreign minister should meet the foreign minister or any other civilian leadership.
Why the Army chief of Afghanistan is not there?
It is just unbelievable that General Kayani is standing there with the two civilian leaders, if he was to go there then keep him out of the lime light, it is the civilian government even the care taker government that should be representing Pakistan and not the Army General. Americans damn well know who is in-charge in Pakistan and they encourage it too because it is so easy for them to deal with one Army General than the democratic set up. John Kerry should be ashamed of his behavior encouraging such a covert agenda.
I believe Jalil Jilani is a foreign secretary not a minister..
Pakistan's Eastern borders have to be secured. Illegal Afghan immigrants have to be (respectfully and humanely) repatriated. There needs to be a framework for the return of the legally residing refugees with international buy in / support and in line with Pakistan's international and humanitarian obligations. FATA has to be brought into the mainstream and with the application of national laws, including on de weponisation.
why is he standing like he is a servant of other two
Now people will say that the Army does not control foreign policy.