China, Pakistan, Afghanistan agree to maintain peace

Islamabad, June 26 (IANS) China, Pakistan and Afghanistan are committed to maintaining regional peace and stability, enhancing regional connectivity and economic cooperation and promoting shared security and development, a joint statement said.

The joint press release by the three countries came after Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi's shuttle diplomacy in Afghanistan and Pakistan that concluded on Sunday, Xinhua news agency reported.

It said both Pakistan and Afghanistan "are willing to improve relations with each other, strengthen political mutual trust, enhance cooperation in various fields including counter-terrorism, and jointly meet security challenges".

According to the statement, Afghanistan and Pakistan have agreed to establish a crisis management mechanism, which will include prevention through timely and effective intelligence and information sharing and other mutually agreed measures.

"This would enable the two sides to maintain timely and effective communications in case of emergencies, including terrorist attacks," it said.

The three countries also agreed to establish the China-Afghanistan-Pakistan Foreign Ministers' dialogue mechanism to cooperate on issues of mutual interest, beginning with economic cooperation, said the paper.

It added that "the three parties believe that the Quadrilateral Coordination Group should be revived to create an enabling environment for peace talks and for Taliban to join the peace talks."

The statement said the three parties "support the Kabul process and hold the view that the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation-Afghanistan Contact Group should be revived as early as possible to play a constructive role in moving forward the Afghan reconciliation process."

Ahead of his departure from Islamabad, the Chinese Foreign Minister told a press briefing that his shuttle diplomacy was aimed at mediating between Afghanistan and Pakistan, and help the reconciliation process in Afghanistan.

Wang stressed that China never interferes in other's internal affairs, never imposes its will on others, nor does it get involved in geopolitical competitions but China is willing to lend a hand when friends are in need, adding that he had candid and in-depth talks with Afghan and Pakistani leaders and they reached broad consensus.

Wang said that China is willing to play a constructive role within its capacity to help Afghanistan and Pakistan in improving their relations.