News Desk |
Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi met with the Secretary-General of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), Jens Stoltenberg on Monday, who appreciated Pakistan’s integral role in the Afghan Reconciliation Process, and stressed that NATO wishes to work with Pakistan in promoting greater bilateral understanding.
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During his official two-day visit to Brussels, Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi called upon the NATO Secretary General at the NATO Headquarters, and the two leaders discussed multiple issues of mutual interest. NATO Deputy Secretary, General Rose Gottemoeller was also present at the meeting.
FM Qureshi and Secretary General Stoltenberg discussed the matters of bilateral cooperation between Pakistan and NATO, and also discussed regional politics and security matters.
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In a tweet shared from his personal handle, Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi noted, “Had a productive meeting with Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg. Pakistan and NATO have a shared interest towards peace and stability in the region. We remain partners towards a stable, prosperous and peaceful Afghanistan.”
Had a productive meeting with Secretary General @jensstoltenberg. Pakistan and NATO have a shared interest towards peace and stability in the region. We remain partners towards a stable, prosperous and peaceful Afghanistan. pic.twitter.com/M6VqXHD6Bj
— Shah Mahmood Qureshi (@SMQureshiPTI) June 25, 2019
Pakistan’s Commitments for Peace & Stability
Foreign Minister Qureshi briefed the NATO General Secretary on Pakistan’s efforts towards establishing peace and stability across South Asia, and highlighted that the PTI-led government of Pakistan is driven towards pursuing a policy of peace and cooperation with all its neighbours.
FM Qureshi shed light on the Kashmir dispute and stressed that the Government of Pakistan seeks to settle the Kashmir issue, of India’s illegal occupation, through dialogue and engagement with New Delhi.
The two dignitaries also discussed the Afghan reconciliation process, and Jens Stoltenberg applauded Islamabad for playing a key role in facilitating the peace process.
The Foreign Minister also reiterated Pakistan’s commitment towards eliminating the scourge of terrorism, and briefed the NATO General Secretary on Pakistan’s comprehensive plan to eradicate terrorism through effective implementation of the National Action Plan.
A statement issued by the Foreign Office noted, “He (FM Qureshi) underscored that the principal threat from terrorism that Pakistan continues to face was primarily supported and perpetrated from beyond Pakistan’s border. He said that the Government was taking active measures to counter these threats.”
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Islamabad’s Commitments in Afghanistan
The two dignitaries also discussed the Afghan reconciliation process, and NATO General Secretary Jens Stoltenberg applauded Islamabad for playing a key role in facilitating the peace process. Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi stressed that Pakistan remains fully committed towards facilitating an Afghan-owned and Afghan-led peace process.
He highlighted Pakistan’s support for the US-engineered peace initiative in Afghanistan, and shed light on the constructive role being played by Islamabad in facilitating an intra-Afghan dialogue. The Foreign Minister briefed the NATO General Secretary with Islamabad’s recent initiative to facilitate an intra-Afghan dialogue through the recently held Bhurban Conference, titled as the Lahore Process.
The PTI-led government of Pakistan is driven towards pursuing a policy of peace and cooperation with all its neighbours.
Mr. Qureshi also discussed the progress achieved through the Afghanistan Pakistan Action Plan for Peace and Solidarity (APAPPS), which was designed to improve and solidify bilateral relations between the two neighbors by ensuring cooperation in all matters that need to be addressed.
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Pakistan & NATO Relations
NATO Secretary General Stoltenberg stated that the regular high-level political and military engagements between NATO and Pakistan have aided the two entities in solidifying their cooperation in matters of mutual interest. The Secretary-General applauded Pakistan’s contributions towards regional stability, and appreciated the sacrifices and efforts Pakistan undertook to strengthen its counter-terrorism measures.
MoFA noted Secretary General Stoltenberg’s response in press release, “Underscoring Pakistan and NATO’s shared interest for peace and stability, the Secretary-General appreciated Pakistan’s peace and reconciliation efforts in Afghanistan. He also thanked Pakistan for the continued support to NATO’s Resolute Mission in Afghanistan by providing access to logistical supply lines.”
Speaking to the press after his meeting at the NATO headquarters, Foreign Minister Qureshi stated that the exchange of ideas with the NATO Secretary General were extremely positive, and no criticism was raised by the NATO delegation with regards to Pakistan’s cooperation on security-related matters.
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Referring to the Afghan peace process, FM Qureshi stated, “I was happy to learn that the Secretary General of NATO is supportive of the Afghan peace process, and they understand that after a prolonged period of time, this opportunity for peace should not be wasted.”
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Foreign Minister Qureshi added, “We agreed on the fact that our interaction with NATO must be increased. For instance, the training programs between our armed forces and NATO are important and they must continue, alongside military-level engagements to promote a greater understanding of our shared objective of stability and peace.”