Afghanistan, Pakistan, China agree to boost cooperation in combating terrorism

Pakistan, Afghanistan and China on Saturday agreed to boost mutual cooperation in combating all terrorist groups and individuals without any discrimination to eliminate terrorism from the region.

Pakistan's Foreign Minister Shah Mehmoud Qureshi, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Afghanistan's Foreign Minister Salahuddin Rabbani met on Saturday for the 2nd Pakistan-China-Afghanistan Trilateral Foreign Ministers' dialogue during which they discussed trade, development, ways to end Afghanistan's 17-year war and regional cooperation.

Following the talks, the foreign ministers signed a memorandum of understanding to boost mutual cooperation for elimination of terrorism in the region, Radio Pakistan reported.

The signing of the MoU was witnessed by Afghanistan's President Ashraf Ghani.

The three sides also took stock of the trilateral cooperation in their fight against terrorism and "underlined the need to further strengthen counter-terrorism coordination and cooperation in an effort to combat all terrorist groups and individuals without any discrimination", it said.

They also agreed to counter logistical capabilities of terrorists, deny terrorist use of the internet and take joint steps for de-radicalisation, as well as work together to break the nexus between the narco-trade and terror-financing.

The ministers also reaffirmed their support to the Afghan-owned, and Afghan-led inclusive peace process that is fully supported regionally and internationally.

China and Pakistan hailed the efforts of Afghanistan's President, especially for the comprehensive peace plans that came out of the second Kabul Process and the Geneva Conferences on Afghanistan.

They also called on the Afghan Taliban to join the peace process at an early date.

They underlined the need to further strengthen their relations, deepen cooperation and advance connectivity under the China's ambitious Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), Regional Economic Cooperation Conference on Afghanistan and other regional economic initiatives.

The ministers agreed to promote China-Afghanistan-Pakistan trilateral cooperation under the framework of jointly building the BRI.

They agreed to continue the economic development cooperation in areas of mutual interest. The three sides will continue to implement and expand the "soft" projects such as exchange and capacity building programs, and explore "hard" projects of livelihood facilities and connectivity, it said.

China expressed its readiness to support Afghanistan and Pakistan in building immigration reception centre and drinking water supply schemes at each side of the Ghulam Khan Khel crossing point, and to explore cold storages at Chaman and Spin Boldak.

Wang said his country supports enhanced coordination between Afghanistan and Pakistan on major energy and connectivity projects, including the construction of Quetta-Kandahar railway and the Kabul-Peshawar Motorway and Railway.

The three sides expressed their determination not to allow any country, organization or individual to use their respective territories for terrorist activities against any other countries.

Later, Qureshi addressing joint news conference along with his Chinese and Afghan counterparts after the dialogue, stressed on a joint strategy to eradicate the menace of terrorism from the region, reported Radio Pakistan.

Only through collective efforts, terrorism can be wiped out and the objectives of peace and development could be achieved, he said.

"We all want peace and stability in Afghanistan. Pakistan will benefit the most from the peace and stability of the neighbouring country," Qureshi said, adding that Islamabad will extend its cooperation in bringing all the Afghan groups to the table of negotiations.

Qureshi said Pakistan condemns terrorism in all its forms and manifestations.

Wang said both Afghanistan and Pakistan are friends of China and his country was ready to extend every possible cooperation to build trust and confidence between the two countries. He said his country will also assist in establishing connectivity projects including a railway line between Peshawar-Kabul and Kandahar.

The Chinese foreign minister said the Afghan reconciliation process can be taken forward by bringing the Taliban to the table of negotiations.

Rabbani said Pakistan has an important role to play to bringing peace in Afghanistan, as the peace in his country was vital for the peace and security of the entire region. He said eradication of terrorism will pave the way for economic development and job creation and

Pak-Afghan relations are rooted in common faith and culture. "We desire to strengthen our relations with Pakistan".

Qureshi, along with Pakistan's foreign secretary Tehmina Janjua and other senior officials, reached Kabul on his second trip to Afghanistan since Prime Minister Imran Khan came to power in August. He held bilateral meetings with President Ghani, Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah and Rabbani and discussed, the recent efforts for initiating peace and reconciliation process in Afghanistan.

Qureshi underscored that bilateral engagement remains the most viable platform for addressing matters of mutual interest and in this regard the Afghanistan-Pakistan Action Plan for Peace and Solidarity (APAPPS) provides the most effective mechanism, a statement from Pakistan's Foreign Office said.