In an effort to stabilise conflict-devastated Afghanistan, Turkey has announced hosting a tripartite meeting with Afghan and Pakistani leaders.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan made the announcement at a joint news conference with Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan at the Presidential Palace in Ankara on Friday.
The trilateral meeting would take place in Istanbul after Turkey’s local elections in March. Khan hoped the meeting would bring “badly-needed peace” to Afghanistan.
Pakistan and Turkey promised a joint fight against terrorist organisations, including the militant Islamic State (IS) group and Fethullah Gülen’s organisation.
Khan noted Daesh’s inroads into Afghanistan, claiming Pakistan’s armed forces had done a commendable job to foil its attacks from the neighbouring country. “Pakistan stands by Turkey to defeat the IS.”
About Afghanistan, the prime minister desired peace should be restored to the neighbouring country. “People of Afghanistan have been suffering from war for over three decades and now they need peace.”
For his part, Erdogan said he hoped 2019 would be the year when Turkey and Pakistan would take important steps towards the Afghanistan-Pakistan-Turkey Trilateral Istanbul Summit.
In a joint statement, Pakistan and Turkey acknowledged durable peace and stability in Afghanistan could be achieved through reconciliation among all segments of Afghan society with the support of regional countries and the international community.
Separately, Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi briefed his Turkish counterpart Mevlüt Çavuolu on recent developments concerning peace and reconciliation in Afghanistan.
The Foreign Office in Islamabad said Turkey was informed about Pakistan’s desire to support and facilitate an inclusive, Afghan-owned, Afghan-led process.
“This has emerged as a notable convergence and shared desire among all, particularly Afghanistan’s neighbours, who had serious stakes in an amicable resolution of the four decade-old conflict,” Qureshi added.
