Terrorism

Pakistan-Afghan-U.S. to work for Taliban names removal from UN list

PG
Sunday, 29-April-2012

 

ISLAMABAD Pakistan: Afghanistan and the United States Friday agreed to form a group at the United Nations to coordinate activities in New York and to work for the removal of Taliban leaders names from the UN black list.

The UN Security Council still has nearly 140 names of top Taliban leaders on its sanctions list and the Taliban negotiators in Qatar are demanding removal of their leaders names for success of peace talks.

Top Pakistani, Afghan and American diplomats told a joint news conference in Islamabad after their talks that the group will comprise permanent representatives of Pakistan, Afghanistan and the United States at the UN.

Special U.S. Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan, Marc Grossman and Afghan Deputy Foreign Minister Jawed Luddin led their delegations in the talks while Pakistani side was headed by the Foreign Secretary Jalil Abbas Jilani.

They said that the three countries agreed that the group will to accelerate the process of Afghan reconciliation.

The 6th meeting of the trilateral core group also agreed to establish a sub group on safe passage for those Taliban and other Afghan groups renouncing violence.

Recognizing that Afghanistan and the region is passing through a defining moment, the core group meeting held threadbare discussion on the Afghanistan reconciliation process and extended full support to it. The three countries also expressed support for other regional and international processes for peace in Afghanistan.

Pakistan Foreign Secretary Jalil Abbass Jilani told the news conference that Pakistan has reiterated support to Afghan-led and Afghan-owned peace process.

He said Pakistan will facilitate any process that could bring peace and stability to Afghanistan.

U.S. Envoy for Pakistan and Afghanistan Marc Grossman said his country will only open the doors of dialogue for those Taliban with whom the Afghan government gives permission to.

He reaffirmed support for Afghan peace process and said his country is looking for better outcome of this process.

Recognizing Pakistan's role in peace and stability of Afghanistan, Marc Grossman said the immediate neighbors of Kabul need to play an extremely important role for peace and prosperity of Afghanistan.

Responding to a question, the U.S. envoy rejected the notion that the three countries share distrust on the reconciliation process.

Afghan Deputy Foreign Minister Jawed Luddin said there is a dire need to make the political process successful so that those renouncing violence could be brought into the mainstream.

The Afghan Deputy Foreign Minister said, "we need to provide a safe passage to those shunning violence and in this context a sub group is being established to facilitate their return to normal life."

He said Afghanistan desires to engage in direct talks with the Taliban and other groups to achieve the objectives of reconciliation. He appreciated the support of Pakistan for an intra Afghan peace process.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

    

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