US envoy hopes better Pak-Afghan ties to improve regional connectivity

WASHINGTON: The United States has been actively pushing Afghanistan and Pakistan to improve bilateral ties in order to attain sustainable peace in the aftermath of Afghan war’s conclusion.

A tweet of the US special envoy for Afghan peace process, Zalmay Khalilzad, on Monday said during a “good meeting” with Afghan President Ashraf Ghani and his team in Kabul, they also focused on the relations between the two neighbouring countries, Pakistan and Afghanistan.

“Discussed building further international consensus for peace,” he wrote in a tweet released after the meeting.

Good meeting w/ Pres @AshrafGhani & his team. Discussed building further intl consensus for #peace. Also regional requirements & implications for peace including recent positive movement in AfPak relations & opportunities peace will provide for regional connectivity &development.

— U.S. Special Representative Zalmay Khalilzad (@US4AfghanPeace) June 9, 2019

“Also regional requirements and implications for peace including recent positive movement in Afghan-Pakistan relations.”

The two leaders also talked about the opportunities that peace in Afghanistan will provide for regional connectivity and development, the UN envoy added.

President Ashraf Ghani is expected to visit Islamabad on June 27 for talks on improving Pak-Afghan relations.

A day earlier, Afghan Deputy Foreign Minister Idrees Zaman called on Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi in Islamabad. Both the leaders agreed to further strengthen bilateral relations and cooperation in diverse fields. Matters of mutual interest, Afghan peace process and other issues were came under discussion during the meeting.

The visiting dignitary Idrees Zaman hailed Pakistan’s efforts for restoration of peace in Afghanistan.