China launches ‘shuttle diplomacy’ to help Pak-Afghan ties improve

ISLAMABAD: Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Sunday said he had started shuttle diplomacy to improve relations between Pakistan and Afghanistan. The Chinese foreign minister was speaking in Islamabad along with Foreign Affairs Adviser Sartaj Aziz after he concluded two-day hectic consultations with the Afghan and Pakistani leaders. “The purpose of my visit is to respond to the interest expressed by Pakistan and Afghanistan and I have been instructed by the Chinese leaders to conduct shuttle diplomacy between Pakistan and Afghanistan,” the Chinese FM said. In Islamabad, he called on President Mamnoon Hussain and held official talks with Sartaj Aziz Aziz that focused on peace and security in the region. In Kabul he met President Ashraf Ghani, Chief Executive Dr Abdullah Abdullah and his Afghan counterpart Salahuddin Rabbani. Regarding Pakistan relations with its neighbours, he said China has noted that the tension in relations between Pakistan and Afghanistan is not conducive to the security and development of the two countries. “It is not good for regional peace and stability and it is not good to advance the international counter terrorism efforts,” he said. “The main purpose of my visit is to listen to the perspectives and views of both sides to get more knowledge about the situation on the ground and what China can help improve Pakistan’s relations with Afghanistan and also help facilitate the reconciliation process in Afghanistan,” Wang said. “China never interferes in other countries internal affairs nor China imposes its own will on others but at a time when there is a need about our friends we stand ready to lend a helping hand,” he said. To a question, he said: “China pursues a policy of non-interference in other countries internal affairs and we do not impose our own views on others. We do not involve in the geo political competition and rivalry. However, as good friend China stands ready to play a constructive role as best as it can.” “Pakistan and Afghanistan have expressed interest that China plays a certain role and that is indicative of the high level trust both countries have placed in China. China of course is ready to play a constructive role for the improvement of relations based totally on equal consultations with the two parties.” “It is particularly encouraging to see in my shuttle diplomacy that Pakistan and Afghanistan both have released a goodwill towards each other and particularly the two sides have agreed to establish bilateral crisis management mechanism which is an important step in improving the relationship,” he said. He was of the view that Pakistan and Afghanistan by doing so had sent positive signals to the international community and China welcomed it. “As the things move forward in relations, as a neutral friend and common neghbour of the two countries, China stands ready to play a constructive role as best as it can,” Wang said. He called for reconciliation process in the war-torn country as it is essential for the development. “If there is no progress in the reconciliation process in Afghanistan it will create main difficulty for the reconstruction process. So it is important to advance the reconciliation process and all parties including China and Pakistan would like to see further progress.” He said the reconciliation process should be continued to be guided by the principle of Afghan-led and Afghan -owned. He said the revival of the Quadrilateral Coordination Group of Afghanistan, china, Pakistan and the U.S. and the SCO Contact Group are to be reactivated will help create favorable environment and conditions for the advancement of reconciliation process. “China stands ready to ply a positive role in the process and we also encourage other parties to play a positive role in that regard,” he said On bilateral relations, he said Pakistan and China would continue to stand firmly side by side with each other on issues that concern our respective core interest and major concern. “We will continue to firmly support each other and firmly work together to maintain the legitimate rights and interest of both countries and to contribute to regional peace and stability.” He said the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor was proceeding smoothly and that both have achieved a number of early harvest projects which will deliver tangible benefits to the Pakistan people. “China stands ready to work closely with Pakistan to move forward CPEC projects. In this area we appreciate Pakistan’s taking many effective measures to protect the safety and legitimate interest of Chinese personnel and institutions in Pakistan.” He welcomed Pakistan greater more comprehensive, more active participation in the Belt and Road initiative, adding that he was confident that in that process China and Pakistan would explore and open up new areas of cooperation. The Chinese foreign minister lauded Pakistan’s anti-terror role and said the country had been at the front-line of the international fight against terrorism. “Any notion that Pakistan is not firm in fight against terrorism is not fair and does not consistent with the facts,” the Chinese FM said. Joint statement: Afghanistan, China and Pakistan have agreed to establish the China-Afghanistan-Pakistan Foreign Ministers’ dialogue mechanism to cooperate on issues of mutual interest, beginning with economic cooperation, stated a joint statement issued on Sunday at the conclusion of Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi’s visit to Kabul and Islamabad. “The three parties believe that the Quadrilateral Coordination Group should be revived to create an enabling environment for peace talks and for Taliban to join the peace talks,” it said. The three parties supported the Kabul process, launched earlier this month, and held the view that the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation-Afghanistan Contact Group should be revived as early as possible to play a constructive role in moving forward the Afghan reconciliation process, the statement went on to say. Afghanistan and Pakistan also agreed to establish a crisis management mechanism, which would include prevention through timely and effective intelligence and information sharing and other mutually agreed measures.     Published in Daily Times, June 26th, 2017.