ISLAMABAD, May 21 (Xinhua) — A trilateral meeting of senior officials of Pakistan, Afghanistan and the United States will be held in Kabul, the capital of Afghanistan, early next week to discuss issues of peace and reconciliation in Afghanistan, Pakistani Foreign Ministry said on Saturday.
The trilateral engagement had been stalled after Pakistan arrested a CIA undercover agent Raymond Davis for killing two Pakistanis in the eastern city of Lahore in January.
File photo of US President Obama, Afghan Hamid Karzai and Pakistan's Asif Ali Zardari
A trilateral meeting, scheduled for February in Washington, was canceled by the U.S. State Department as a protest after Pakistan had refused to release the CIA agent, He was later freed after paying blood money.
Foreign Office spokesperson Tehmina Janjua said at a news briefing in Islamabad that Foreign Secretary Salman Bashir would be leading Pakistan’s delegation at the talks in Kabukl.
She said Pakistan is making endeavors to deepen engagement with Afghanistan. The spokesperson said Secretaries level engagement with India covers counter terrorism, commerce, trade, water and Sir Creek issues. Pakistan is pursuing talks in an open and constructive manner for result-oriented process of engagement.
About killing of five Chechens in Quetta, she said investigations are underway in the matter. She said Russian Embassy has asked for information which would be shared when investigations are over.
The spokesperson said the multiple engagements with different countries during recent days and during the President’s visit to Russia and Prime Minister’s visit to France and then China have led to substantial discussions and understanding for strengthening of relations with them.
