Qureshi to discuss Afghan peace with Turkish, Afghan counterparts in Istanbul

After concluding his successful visits to the UAE and Iran, the Foreign Minister, Shah Mahmood Qureshi will arrive in Turkey on Friday for a meeting with Afghan and Turkish counterparts to discuss the peace process in Afghanistan.

According to the Foreign Office, the foreign ministers of these countries will hold a trilateral meeting on Friday after a wider Afghan peace conference was postponed because the Taliban pulled out.

The planned peace talks were scheduled in Istanbul for April 24 to expedite an agreement between the Taliban and the Afghan government in the aftermath of a decision announced by the US that foreign troops would leave Afghan soil by September 11. A new date for the talks is yet to be announced.

The host country’s foreign ministry said Friday's three-way meeting would cover “recent developments regarding the Afghan peace process, cooperation in the fields of security, energy, connectivity, and irregular migration.”

A statement from the Foreign Office said that FM Qureshi will discuss the latest developments in the Afghan peace process with his Afghan and Turkish counterparts.

“He will exchange views on achieving the shared objectives of a peaceful and stable Afghanistan through an Afghan-led and Afghan-owned political process and highlight Pakistan's valuable efforts towards this end.”

His two-day official visit came on the invitation of Foreign Minister of Turkey Mevlüt Çavusoglu, the statement added.

“During the visit, the foreign minister will review the entire spectrum of relations and discuss preparations for the 7th Session of the High-Level Strategic Cooperation Council (HLSCC), which will be held in Turkey this year, with his Turkish counterpart,” the FO added.

Further, the two sides will also discuss the regional security situation.