China, Pak, Afghan FMs to hold first meeting on Afghanistan

The first trilateral meeting of Foreign Ministers of China, Pakistan and Afghanistan - a Beijing's initiative to reduce friction between Islamabad and Kabul over terrorist attacks - will be held here next week.

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, who conducted shuttle diplomacy earlier to forge peace between Afghanistan and Pakistan over Kabul's allegation of increasing attacks from Taliban militants from across the border, will attend the meeting along with his Afghanistan and Pakistan counterparts Salahuddin Rabbani and Khawaja Muhammad Asif respectively.

"As a neighbour and friend of Pakistan and Afghanistan we always support friendship between the two countries and their common development," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying told reporters while announcing that the meeting will take place in Beijing on December 26.
 

The Foreign Ministers' trilateral mechanism was formed after Wang's visit to the two countries in June.

"This is the first dialogue of its kind and the three countries will exchange on political mutual trust, reconciliation and developing cooperation and connectivity as well as security cooperation and counter terrorism," Hua said.

"We hope the meeting will promote our cooperation and enhance peace and stability of the region," she said.

Afghanistan has blamed Pakistan in the recent months for sheltering Taliban militants and violent attacks in different parts of the country.

Pakistan, however, has denied the charge and accused Afghanistan of moving closer to India.

Earlier, China conducted a meeting of top Foreign Ministry officials of the three countries on issues related to cooperation in counter-terrorism.

China has stepped up efforts to forge peace between Pakistan and Afghanistan after US President Donald Trump announced his new South Asia policy in which he blamed Islamabad for terrorist attacks in Afghanistan and India.

The new policy which gave importance to India and invited New Delhi to play a bigger role in reconstruction of Afghanistan has raised eyebrows in Beijing and Islamabad.