Islamabad: Pakistan on Thursday called for a responsible drawdown of international troops from Afghanistan and said all efforts must be made for the reduction of violence leading to a ceasefire in the war-torn country. Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi made the remarks during a meeting with his German counterpart Heiko Maas, who paid a brief visit to Islamabad, the Foreign Office said in a statement.
The two leaders discussed various issues, bilateral and international, especially the Afghan peace process, it said. Foreign Minister Qureshi apprised his German counterpart of Pakistan’s steadfast support for a peaceful and stable Afghanistan and positive contributions to the Afghan peace process.
“He underscored the importance of responsible withdrawal and steady progress by the Afghan parties towards a negotiated political settlement,” the FO said. Qureshi said that all efforts must be made for reduction of violence leading to a ceasefire in Afghanistan.
He stressed that the Afghan stakeholders must engage constructively to work out an inclusive, broad-based and comprehensive political solution, through an Afghan-owned and Afghan-led process. Recalling his own recent visit to Berlin, Qureshi expressed gratitude for the warm welcome accorded to him and appreciated the fruitful outcome of the visit.
He underlined the importance of regular high-level exchanges between Pakistan and Germany and maintaining a steady upward trajectory in the relationship. The two Foreign Ministers reviewed bilateral cooperation and exchanged views on the impacts of COVID-19 pandemic. Qureshi also highlighted Pakistan’s shifting focus from geo-politics to geo-economics, within the perspective of economic security paradigm.
The year 2021 marks the 70th anniversary of establishment of diplomatic relations between Pakistan and Germany. A range of events are envisaged by the two governments to celebrate this milestone in a befitting manner, according to FO.
Read all the Latest News, Breaking News and Coronavirus News here. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Telegram.
Comments
0 comment