Beijing ready to host Afghan peace negotiations

KABUL (Pajhwok): With American and NATO forces leaving the country, China has offered to host intra-Afghan peace negotiations.

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi held out the offer in a telephone conversation with National Security Advisor Hamdullah Mohib on Monday.

In Beijing, a statement from the Foreign Ministry said: “The Chinese side is ready to facilitate intra-Afghan negotiations, including creating conditions for holding the talks in China.”

Wang claimed the US decision to pull out its troops from Afghanistan — a process to be completed by September 11 — had led to uncertainty in in Afghanistan.

The minister said: “Peace is a general trend, fully consistent with the fundamental and long-term interests of the Afghan people.

“It is also the common aspiration of the entire international community,” the statement quoted the foreign minister as saying.

With peace efforts underway, Wang stressed, all parties must demonstrate patience and goodwill.

PAN Monitor/mud

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