It is upto Afghan govt to decide on reconciliation process: Aziz

ISLAMABAD, Oct 28 (APP): Advisor to the Prime Minister on
Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz has said that both the United States
and Pakistan fully support the Afghan reconciliation process but
it is upto the Afghan government to decide whether they want the
same or not.
“The international community has concerns about the Afghan
issue and no world power wants war in Afghanistan,” he told
a private television channel.
He said Pakistan and the US were concerned as the
resumption of talks between the Afghan government and Taliban,
as compared to its first round of talks held in Murree in July,
now looked a little bit difficult.
The Afghan government, he said, had still not approached
Pakistan regarding contacts with Taliban.
To a question, the advisor said Pakistan had some influence
on Taliban but it had no control over them. It was upto the Afghan
government to resume talks with the Taliban and “our job is just of
a facilitator.”
But, he added, Pakistan could not give any guarantee at this
moment as the situation in Afghanistan did not seem to be favourable
for talks. Pakistan’s stance was very much clear that its soil
would not be used against any country and it had also been mentioned
in the Pak-US joint declaration.
To a query about handing over of three dossiers to US
Secretary of State John Kerry, Sartaj Aziz said the main purpose was
to inform the international community about India’s subversive
activities in Pakistan and inform them that terrorism was not only
India’s concern but it was Pakistan’s concern also.
He said the US administration was also informed that whatever
the Modi government was doing with the Muslims in India and
occupied Kashmir, ceasefire violations would further escalate
tension in the region.
Pakistan, he said, was ready for dialogue but India was
putting preconditions which was unacceptable. He said the joint
statement issued after the Nawaz-Obama meeting clearly called for
steps to resolve all outstanding issues between the two countries,
including Kashmir, besides setting up a mechanism to end aggression
at the Line of Control.
He said Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s visit had laid
foundation for a multi-dimensional relationship with the US. It
would help broaden the Pak-US ties beyond security issues to
education,trade economy and defence cooperation.
About the nuclear issue, Sartaj Aziz the US side was told that
Pakistan could not accept interference of anyone in security
matters.The entire world, he said, had accepted that Pakistan’s
nuclear programme was safe as it was under a proper command and
control system and two paragraphs of Pak-US Joint Declaration in
this regard were very positive and encouraging.
“Security is the basic element and whatever Pakistan is doing
for its security is in reaction to Indian steps,” he added.