China. Pakistan back political settlement in Afghanistan

PESHAWAR (Pajhwok): China has urged all parties in Afghanistan to reach a comprehensive political settlement acceptable to all sides.

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, in a telephone conversation with his Pakistani counterpart Shah Mehmood Qureshi, stoutly supported an “Afghan-led and Afghan-owned” peace push.

Under the current circumstances, he stressed, China and Pakistan must continue to strengthen strategic coordination to exert a more positive influence on the peace process in Afghanistan.

Qureshi said Pakistan appreciated the joint statement on Afghanistan issued after the China+Central Asia foreign ministers’ meeting.

The US and NATO troops should leave Afghanistan in an orderly and responsible manner and support Afghanistan’s neighbours in playing a bigger role in pushing forward the peace process, Qureshi opined.

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