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Sartaj Aziz, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's adviser on foreign affairs denied on Sunday backing Afghanistan's break-up or planning to end the Afghan war with a power-sharing role for the Taliban during a fence-mending visit to Kabul aimed at lowering cross-border tension. Sartaj Aziz said Islamabad wanted a reset on diplomacy with Kabul after a sharp deterioration triggered by botched efforts to aid US efforts to start peace talks with the Taliban in the Gulf state of Qatar.
"A peaceful, stable and united Afghanistan is in the vital interest of Pakistan," Aziz said after meeting Afghan Foreign Minister Zalmay Rassoul. "Without peace and security in Afghanistan, peace and security in Pakistan cannot be ensured."
Aziz, in Kabul to prepare for a visit by Karzai to Islamabad, said Pakistan had supported travel to Qatar by Taliban representatives at the request of Afghanistan's High Peace Council, charged with pushing peace with insurgent leaders.
"We have some influence and contacts with (Taliban in) Afghanistan. But we do not control them," Aziz said. "It is for Afghans themselves to decide what system and what kind of post 2014 arrangement they would like to have."-Reuters
APP adds: During his day-long visit, Sartaj Aziz held talks with Afghan Foreign Minister Dr Zalmay Rasul. The two sides discussed ways to further promote bilateral relations and prospects for peace in Afghanistan.
Sartaj Aziz, who was on his first ever visit to Kabul soon after assuming the charge as Advisor to Prime Minister on Foreign Affairs and National Security, said "PML-N government wants to expand relations with Afghanistan."
He said his visit brought a message of peace and co-operation from Pakistan. He said Pakistan wanted to remove all barriers in the way of trade between both the countries. He said expansion in trade would bring prosperity for the people of two countries, besides improving the economy. Sartaj Aziz flew to Kabul to invite President Hamid Karzai to Islamabad to strengthen bilateral relations and to improve strained relations and help peace efforts with the Taliban. He said, "The main purpose of my visit is to convey a formal invitation from Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to President Karzai to visit Pakistan."
He said, "We wish Afghanistan a success for those two important milestones." He reiterated Islamabad's support for an "Afghan-led and Afghan owned" peace process with the Taliban.
"A peaceful, stable and united Afghanistan is in the interest of Pakistan," he added.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2013

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