Pakistan, China, Afghanistan to enhance cooperation on Covid-19, Afghan peace

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan, China and Afghanistan reached a consensus on cooperation against COVID-19, the Afghan peace and reconciliation process and trilateral cooperation.

The development came at the third round of China-Afghanistan-Pakistan Trilateral Vice Foreign Ministers’ Strategic Dialogue held via video link on Tuesday.

Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Luo Zhaohui, Afghan Deputy Foreign Minister Mirwais Nab and Pakistan’s Foreign Secretary Sohail Mahmood co-chaired the dialogue.

The three sides attach great importance to the China-Afghanistan-Pakistan trilateral cooperation and would continue to vigorously implement the outcome of the 3rd China-Afghanistan-Pakistan Foreign Ministers’ Dialogue.

The three sides reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening communication and coordination and enhancing mutual trust and cooperation under the trilateral cooperation mechanism.

The three sides agreed to further the cooperation against COVID-19, call on the international community to jointly prevent discrimination and stigma, support the World Health Organization’s leading role in coordinating global COVID-19 response, promote international cooperation on joint prevention and control, and safeguard public health security in the region and beyond.

China and Pakistan appreciated the efforts by the Afghanistan government and relevant parties in expediting the exchange of the prisoners to pave the way for the start of the Intra-Afghan Negotiations and call for violence reduction and humanitarian ceasefire.

China and Pakistan will enhance cooperation with the Afghan government in support of the “Afghan-led, Afghan-owned” peace reconciliation process, the launch of Intra-Afghan Negotiations at an early date, the preservation of the gains since 2001 and looked forward to the early restoration of peace and stability in Afghanistan.

Afghanistan and Pakistan agreed to further strengthen dialogue and work for continuous improvement of bilateral relations including through the effective implementation of the Afghanistan-Pakistan Action Plan for Peace and Solidarity (APAPPS).

China will continue to play a constructive role in improving Afghanistan-Pakistan relations. The three sides agreed that the return of Afghan refugees should be part of peace and reconciliation process and underlined the role of international community for a time-bound and well-resourced roadmap for the return of Afghan refugees to their homeland with dignity and honor.

The three sides urged for an orderly, responsible and condition based withdrawal of the foreign troops from Afghanistan to avoid potential terrorist resurgence.

The three sides agreed to continue to strengthen counter-terrorism and security cooperation, combat the “East Turkistan Islamic Movement”, and all other terrorist forces and networks posing threats to our common security.

The three sides expressed readiness to carry out trilateral practical cooperation in flexible manners and keep exploring new fields of cooperation with a view to accumulating outcomes for the 4th China-Afghanistan-Pakistan Foreign Ministers’ Dialogue.