Afghanistan Times
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AT Monitoring Desk
KABUL: With a “golden opportunity” for peace there which must be seized, Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi said the stakes are “very high” in Afghan peace process.
“The stakes are very high. If there’s progress, there can be peace, there can be stability, and the region collectively will benefit from the outcome of a peace process,” Qureshi said during an exclusive interview with Anadolu Agency.
Qureshi underlined the fear for a civil war in Afghanistan, which is the last thing anyone wants, if there is no agreement and political settlement.
The process which started in Doha, Qatar, should come to a logical conclusion through the Istanbul conference, the minister stressed.
“We have paid a huge human price, and we’ve paid a huge economic price. That is why we feel a stable, peaceful Afghanistan is in Pakistan’s national interest.”
He urged the Taliban to remain engaged and continue with the peace process which he said should come to a logical conclusion through the Istanbul conference.
Qureshi reiterated that the Afghan conflict has no military solution.
“The Afghans should seize this opportunity, sit amongst themselves and decide what kind of a constitution they want. What kind of a political order do they want? How do they want to negotiate peace for them?,” he said.
He also said that there are elements seeking to spoil the peace process.
“There are spoilers within Afghanistan. There are elements that have benefited from the war economy. People have made billions and there are elements outside of Afghanistan who would want Afghanistan to remain unstable because of the use of Afghan soil for their national objectives,” Qureshi said.
