Joint statement issued: Islamabad, Beijing, Kabul reaffirm to deepen co-op under BRI

ISLAMABAD: China has expressed readiness to play a constructive role in facilitating improvement in ties between Pakistan and Afghanistan, as the three sides reaffirmed to deepen cooperation under the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and other regional economic initiatives.

This was announced in a joint statement, issued here on Friday, after the fourth round of China-Afghanistan-Pakistan Trilateral Foreign Ministers’ Dialogue held via video link, on Thursday.

State Councilor and Minister of Foreign Affairs of China Wang Yi hosted the dialogue in which Pakistan’s side was led by Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi and Afghanistan was represented by its Foreign Minister Mohammad Haneef Atmar.

“China emphasized its readiness to continue to play a constructive role in facilitating the improvement of relations between Afghanistan and Pakistan,” according to the joint statement.

The Chinese offer comes days after the top Afghan leadership hurled allegations against Pakistan and intelligence agencies for supporting the Taliban’s operations in Afghanistan.

Foreign Minister Qureshi, in a statement, on Friday, regretted that the irresponsible statements by Afghan national security adviser, saying that Pakistan has played a positive and constructive role in the Afghan peace process “but the irresponsible statements of Afghan security adviser are really regrettable which only serve the interests of spoilers.”

Qureshi said he has also invited his Afghan counterpart to visit Pakistan in order to hold discussion on the Afghan peace process and the future strategy.

“Pakistan is focusing on economic diplomacy to address the challenges of poverty, inflation and unemployment. We need to focus on economic integration, investment, and trade and job creation,” he said, adding that the geo-economics is the foremost priority of our foreign policy as per the vision of Prime Minister Imran Khan.

In the joint statement, the three sides – Pakistan, China, and Afghanistan –reaffirmed that they will jointly fight terrorism in all its forms and underscored that it is important to reject “double standards” in counter-terrorism, not let any terrorist organisation or individual use their respective territories for activities against other countries, and redouble joint efforts against the ETIM [The East Turkestan Islamic Movement], TTP [Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan], and Daesh, and any other terrorist group,” the three sides reached a consensus, according to the joint statement.

It further stated that the three sides also commended the progress in trilateral cooperation since, the Third Dialogue held in Islamabad on September 7, 2019, and underscored their readiness to further deepen and expand their cooperation in the peace, political, economic, connectivity, security, counter-terrorism, and other areas, and jointly promote peace, stability and development of the three countries and the region.

It added that the three sides reaffirmed their commitments to strengthening political mutual trust, enhancing exchanges and communication, and forging closer-good neighbourly relations and partnership.

It added that the three sides reaffirmed that they will deepen cooperation under the Belt and Road Initiative, Regional Economic Cooperation Conference (RECCA), “Heart of Asia” Istanbul Process (HoA/IP), and other regional economic initiatives.

The three sides commended the progress made by Afghanistan in the area of connectivity and in carrying out trades through Gwadar Port, and other seaports in the region, and expressed readiness to further tap cooperation potential to raise the level of connectivity among the three countries and in the region, it added.

It further stated that the three foreign ministers had a comprehensive and in-depth exchange of views on Afghanistan’s peace and reconciliation process, and reached the consensus that the three sides underscored that as insecurity in Afghanistan will directly impact the stability and economic prosperity of the entire region, there is a need for joint efforts and response to eliminate the current challenges in our region.

It stated that the three sides noted the start of withdrawal of foreign troops from Afghanistan, and believed that while this move has complex impacts on Afghanistan peace and reconciliation process, it will also provide opportunities for the Afghanistan and the region to truly take the future of their countries and nations into their own hands.

“The three sides called for responsible and orderly withdrawal of foreign troops to avoid deterioration of the security situation in the region or giving terrorist forces the opportunity to re-emerge and grow,” it stated, adding that all relevant parties should earnestly fulfill their anti-terrorism commitments and agreed not to allow any terrorist to operate from their respective territories against each other’s interests.

The three sides underlined the importance of a peaceful resolution to the conflict in Afghanistan and called on all parties in Afghanistan for an early declaration of a comprehensive ceasefire and an end to the senseless violence, in order to create the conditions needed for negotiation between the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan and the Taliban.

It added that the three sides believed that the UNSC resolution 2513 must be observed, while looking forward to and welcoming the early return of the Taliban to the political mainstream of Afghanistan.

The three sides reiterated that they do not support the establishment of any government imposed by force in Afghanistan.

The three sides supported Afghanistan to be an independent, sovereign and democratic state that enjoys security and stability, achieves development and prosperity, and lives in harmony with its neighbours, it added.

It further stated that the three sides maintained that resolution of the Afghan issue should fully reflect the “Afghan-led, Afghan-owned” principle.

The Afghan government could play a leading role in Afghanistan’s peace and reconciliation process to draw up a plan jointly with all parties that reflects extensiveness and inclusiveness, it added.

“The three sides support all multilateral efforts that are conducive to building political consensus in Afghanistan, and the international community and to promoting Afghanistan’s peace and reconciliation process,” it stated, adding that they support the international community, particularly the United Nations and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, in making positive contribution to advancing the peace and reconciliation process.

They believed that Afghanistan’s neighboring countries, as the most direct stakeholders in relation to Afghanistan’s domestic situation, should play a more important, constructive role in this regard, it emphasised.

“China and Afghanistan recognised that Pakistan has continued to host with dignity and honor millions of Afghan refugees for decades as a consequence of the protracted Afghan conflict,” according to the statement.

They emphasised that a time-bound and well-resourced return of Afghan refugees to their homeland and their re-integration in the Afghan society should be part of the comprehensive peace agreement.

It further stated that China and Pakistan reaffirmed their firm support for the peaceful reconstruction of Afghanistan and readiness to expand economic and trade ties with Afghanistan, support Afghanistan in enhancing its capacity for independent development.

The three sides agreed to advance practical cooperation in a flexible way alongside routine Covid control, implement the refrigeration storage and other livelihood facility projects in Afghanistan and Pakistan at an early date, expand cooperation among the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies of the three countries, and carry out exchange and training programmes in the fields of public health, connectivity, agricultural disaster reduction, youth exchanges, cultural relics, and archaeology.

They agreed that as a long-term objective, and as the next logical progression in the trilateral cooperation, larger-scale projects in infrastructure and development including railway will also be considered at an opportune time.

The three sides also agreed to continue to strengthen cooperation and jointly tackle Covid-19.

The three sides welcomed the positive progress made in the first batch of projects under the trilateral MOU on Cooperation in Counter-terrorism, and will continue to advance the related work.

The three sides agreed to follow up on the consensus of this Dialogue through the trilateral Vice-Ministerial Strategic Dialogue, the Vice-Ministerial Consultation on Counter-Terrorism and Security, and the Director-General Level Practical Cooperation Dialogue.

The three sides agreed to hold an in-person trilateral Foreign Ministers’ Dialogue at an early date when the Covid situation permits.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2021