A Quadrilateral (2+2) meeting of Afghanistan, Pakistan, China and the United States was held in Islamabad today, on the sidelines of the Fifth Heart of Asia Ministerial Conference. Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif, Afghan President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and US Deputy Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken led their respective delegations.
The meeting reiterated its support for Afghanistan's unity, sovereignty and territorial integrity, and affirmed full support to the democratically elected National Unity Government of Afghanistan. It was agreed that authority of the Afghan State and the legitimacy of Afghanistan's constitution must be fully respected by the international community.
The meeting agreed to work together to enhance mutual trust and confidence between Afghanistan and Pakistan to create an enabling environment for peace talks and broadening political, economic and security cooperation. The meeting expressed full commitment to enabling an Afghan-led and Afghan-owned political process that promotes a dialogue between the Afghan Government and Taliban groups, including on reduction and renunciation of violence. It was agreed that reconciliation remains the most viable option to end violence and promote stability in Afghanistan and the region. All four countries agreed to work together to create a conducive atmosphere that encourages Taliban groups to engage in meaningful and sustained negotiations.
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