Islamabad, June 26: Talks held during Afghan Foreign Minister Zalmai Rassoul’s vist to Pakistan focused especially on the threat posed by terrorism, bilateral cooperation in political and economic fields and regional and international issues of common concern, the Foreign Office said on Friday.
According to a joint statement issued at the end of Rassoul’s visit to Pakistan, Pakistani and Afghan officials agreed not to allow their territories to be used against each other’s interests.
The statement noted that bilateral relations of the two countries were based on respect for each other’s sovereignty, territorial integrity and non-interference in internal affairs.
According to the statement, both countries have reaffirmed their commitment to increase cooperation and bilateral coordination within the framework of regional and international agreements to counter terrorism.
Pakistan and Afghanistan have also emphasised the need to strengthen economic and commercial ties and to facilitate trade and transit.
Officials from both sides also agreed to take all steps to increase the current volume of bilateral trade from $1.5 billion to $5 billion by 2015, as agreed during President Karzai’s visit to Pakistan in March 2010.
During their meeting, foreign ministers from both countries also reiterated their commitment towards an early finalisation of the Afghanistan-Pakistan Transit Trade Agreement. The Afghan FM provided a detailed briefing on the outcome of the Afghan Peace Jirga, held at Kabul in June 2010. Qureshi congratulated Rassoul on the successful conclusion of the Afghan peace jirga. He reaffirmed Pakistan’s full support to the roadmap announced by President Karzai for the reconciliation process.
Qureshi reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to working closely with the Afghan government, as well as the international community for sustainable peace, stability and development in Afghanistan.
He also assured Afghanistan of Pakistan’s cooperation to ensure the success of the upcoming Kabul Conference, scheduled for 20 July 2010.
Both Pakistan and Afghanistan also agreed that their foreign ministers would meet twice every year, while deputy foreign minister level meetings would also be held twice a year.
Both countries also agreed to promote people-to-people contacts as well as build mutual trust and confidence by exchanging visits of parliamentary delegations.
The two countries have also decided to establish a joint education commission to facilitate and coordinate bilateral cooperation in the field of education.
The commission will be co-chaired by bout countries’ education ministers on an annual basis. Foreign ministers from both sides have also agreed to establish a joint commission on border cooperation and visa regime to facilitate and oversee cross-border movement. The interior ministers of Afghanistan and Pakistan will co-chair the meeting of the commission that would be held once a year.
–Agencies–