DOHA (TLTP): Pakistan’s special representative for Afghanistan, Ambassador Asif Durrani, downplayed the strained relations between the two countries on Wednesday, saying both sides had held fruitful talks in Qatar and adding that he hoped for formal negotiations between them “very soon.”
Delegations from Pakistan and around 30 other countries went to Qatar to participate in the third round of United Nations-sponsored talks on integrating Afghanistan into the international community.
The Pakistan mission in the Arab country hosted a dinner for the Taliban delegation on the sidelines of the conference amid rising tensions between them.
“I hope formal discussions with Afghanistan will kick off very soon, but I cannot give any timeframe as to when the negotiations will resume,” he stated in a brief conversation over the phone.
Durrani said the Pakistan-Afghanistan bilateral relations were not too strained since business activities were continuing between the two countries and the Pakistan embassy in Kabul was also issuing visas to Afghan nationals.
“The Qatar meeting was just an informal interaction,” he continued. “We have other channels in place to start bilateral parleys.”
Suhail Shaheen, head of the Afghan interim administration’s political office in Qatar, also stated that the Qatar interaction between officials of both the countries was an informal one, though it had generated hope that Kabul and Islamabad would find ways “to overcome any misunderstanding.”
“From day one, we have wanted extended economic cooperation between Afghanistan and Pakistan to stabilize their economies,” he said.
“Tensions and strained ties will never benefit anyone. I hope both countries will activate their respective diplomatic channels to settle issues,” he remarked.
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