Afghanistan affairs: Pakistan outlines its policy

Pakistan on Wednesday identified 'non-interference' in affairs of Afghanistan by its neighbours including India, decisive for peace in Kabul and the region as the world is poised to transfer the security of the country to Afghan people.
"Our policy of non-interference in Afghan affairs is based on principled stand and all of its neighbours should follow the practice for lasting peace in the region," said Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi while addressing a joint press briefing with his Bulgarian counterpart Nickolay Evtimov Mladenov. Pakistan is supportive of transition and feels that it is linked with Afghan ability to take the responsibility. "Recruiting and training the army is different from building an army as it cannot be done overnight," Qureshi added.
"Pakistan and Afghanistan are developing their relations at all levels and there is a qualitative change at military and political levels during the past few years," he observed. Responding to a question regarding relations with India, Shah Mehmood Qureshi said that there is an emerging realisation in India that it is better to engage with Pakistan and find political solutions of the problems. "We want to discuss all outstanding issues with India," he added.
Bulgarian Foreign Minister Nickolay Evtimov Mladenov endorsed Islamabad's efforts in war against terror and underlined the need that process of 'reconciliation' must move forward for achieving the peace. He termed High Peace Council's visit to Islamabad as a positive development. To a question regarding his government's plan towards Afghan peace, he said, "we want to help Afghanistan and do not want to tell them what to do'. The international community must take collective stand against radicalism and there should be religious harmony all over the world to fight these elements, he added.
However, the visiting foreign minister said that it would be too early to determine whether or not the 'so-called' war on terror had been fully successful in achieving its target. Maldenov said that he had been to Pakistan to know its views since Bulgaria was member of the EU and the Nato with reference to Afghanistan situation. Earlier, Shah Mehmood Qureshi said that Pakistan and Bulgaria had agreed to expand and strengthen their bilateral relations in various fields, including defence, economy, trade and culture.
In this respect, both the countries would sign an agreement to promote economic ties and promote trade and investment on Thursday, he added. The visiting Foreign Minister said Bulgaria has rich experience in generating coal energy and can share its experience with Pakistan to overcome energy crisis. We fully support Pakistan in European Union to get trade concessions and improve its economy, he added.