Pakistan, Afghanistan pin hope on Istanbul meeting

By Aamir Latif

KARACHI, Pakistan (AA) - Pakistani and Afghan foreign ministers on Sunday said the upcoming Istanbul Conference can help make the ongoing Afghan peace process "result-oriented."

During a phone conversation, Pakistani Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi and his Afghan counterpart Mohammad Hanif Atmar discussed the latest developments and progress on the intra-Afghan dialogue, which aims to bring an end to the decades-long conflict in the war-torn country, according to a statement by Pakistan's Foreign Ministry.

Qureshi, who is currently on a three-day visit to the United Arab Emirates, hoped that the Istanbul Conference will contribute to bring durable peace in Afghanistan, and make the 2020 Doha peace deal result-oriented.

Reiterating Islamabad's support to the peace dialogue, he said that a peaceful Afghanistan is in Pakistan's interest.

Atmar, for his part, hailed Islamabad's continuous "diplomatic, political and moral" contributions vis-a-vis Afghan peace dialogue.

The two top diplomats agreed to meet during the conference, the statement added.

Qureshi also invited Atmar to Islamabad soon after the Istanbul summit.

Islamabad-brokered peace talks in Doha, Qatar meant to end decades of war and carve out a path for a post-war Afghan society have made little headway since last September.

Pakistan, which wields considerable influence over the Taliban, also welcomed the forthcoming Afghan peace summit in Istanbul, Turkey, hoping that it will be an important opportunity for Afghan leaders to make progress toward a negotiated political settlement.

In December 2018, Islamabad arranged direct talks between Washington and the Taliban, paving the way for the 2020 peace deal.