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Afghanistan believes all levers of influence should be used to induce Taliban to engage earnestly in peace and strengthening of Afghanistan-China strategic relations to fight against terrorism
AT News
KABUL: Top Chinese diplomat assured the Afghan authorities of all-out support and expressed readiness to facilitate internal negotiations among various parties in Afghanistan, including creating necessary conditions for negotiations in China.
NSA Hamdullah Mohib had a telephonic conversation with China State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi, who offered China’s full support for peace and said China wants an independent, sovereign and unified Afghanistan, adding that a political settlement is the only viable solution.
“The NSA and Minister Wang Yi identified terrorism as a common threat that both sides should fight. Minister Wang Yi offered that China can increase its efforts, including regionally, in support of peace in Afghanistan,” Mohib’s office said in a statement.
Moreover, Afghan Minister of Foreign Affairs Mohammad Haneef Atmar also spoke with FM of China Wang Yi on the phone, where they discussed the Afghan Peace Process, fight against Coronavirus, strengthening Afghanistan-China strategic relations to fight against terrorism, ensuring peace in Afghanistan, and regional prosperity.
Calling the expansion of strategic political, security, and economic cooperation important, Minister Atmar expressed gratitude to China’s cooperation and support to the Afghan Peace Process, particularly Afghanistan’s stance on ceasefire and ensuring a lasting and dignified peace, Atmar’s office said in a statement.
Minister Atmar also appreciated China’s assistance with Afghanistan in the fight against COVID-19.
Expressing China’s pledge to assist in provision of COVAX and laboratory equipment, Mr. Wang assured Minister Atmar of China’s continued assistance with Afghanistan in providing machinery for infrastructures’ development.
Emphasizing the expansion of strategic cooperation between the two countries to ensure peace and strengthen regional consensus, both sides discussed and exchanged views on organizing the upcoming Afghanistan – China – Pakistan Foreign Ministers meeting.
In a telephone conversation with Hamdullah Mohib, national security advisor to Afghan president, Wang said China and Afghanistan are traditional friendly neighbors, and China adheres to the principle of non-interference in others’ internal affairs in its relations with Afghanistan, Chinese media reported.
China is always ready to treat Afghanistan as an equal on the basis of the five principles of peaceful coexistence, support Afghanistan in safeguarding its sovereignty, independence, territorial integrity and national dignity, and support the Afghan domestic peace and reconciliation process, Wang said.
Wang added that China is ready to continue to support Afghanistan on issues concerning its core interest.
Wang stressed that China endorses the “Afghan-led, Afghan-owned” principle and supports all parties in Afghanistan in finding a broad and inclusive political arrangement through peaceful means.
Although the U.S. unilateral withdrawal of troops at a crucial stage of the Afghan domestic reconciliation process has brought uncertainty to the evolution of the situation in Afghanistan, peace is the trend of the times, which fully complies with the fundamental and long-term interests of the Afghan people and is also the common expectation of the international community, Wang said.
For his part, Mohib said the peace and reconciliation process in Afghanistan could go through a difficult period.
Afghanistan thanks China’s firm support for the peace process and looks forward to strengthening cooperation with China in this regard both bilaterally and within the framework of the UN Security Council, Mohib said.
Afghanistan adheres to the one-China policy and firmly supports China in safeguarding its own sovereignty and territorial integrity, Mohib said, adding that Afghanistan resolutely fights all forms of terrorism, including the East Turkestan Islamic Movement, and is ready to further deepen counter-terrorism and security cooperation with China.
NSA Mohib thanked China for its support for peace and added that Afghanistan believes all levers of influence should be used to induce Taliban to engage earnestly in peace, including UN sanctions and other avenues where China’s unique capabilities can be helpful.
