People of Afghanistan deserved peace: Qureshi
Observer Report Tehran
Pakistan and Iran on Tuesday urged the interna-tional community to provide financial assistance to Afghanistan to avert any humanitarian crisis.
Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi and his Iranian counterpart Minister Hossein Amirabdolla-hian in a joint press conference emphasized the need for an active response from the world on the situa-tion in Afghanistan following the exit of foreign troops.
The two foreign ministers expressed unanimity of views on extending humanitarian assistance to the people of Afghanistan.
Foreign Minister Qureshi urged upon the United Nations, the European Union and aid agencies to pace up their humanitarian assistance for the people of Afghanistan.
He said the people of Afghanistan deserved peace as they suffered conflict for four decades. “We as a neighbour would continue to stand by Afghanistan in difficult times,” he said.
On his meeting with the Iranian foreign minister, he said the discussions focused on bilateral relations and regional matters. He said both sides expressed satisfaction over the recent collaboration in trade and defence.
“Pakistan will keep moving ahead because we un-derstand the importance of our relationship [with Iran],” he said.
Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian said Iran would continue its con-tacts with all parties in Afghanistan, adding that Iran’s security consultations with the Afghan in-terim government were underway.
“We are closely monitoring the developments in Afghanistan and believe that formation of an inclu-sive government with the participation of all the ethnicities in Afghanistan is the most significant political solution before us,” Amirabdollahian said, as quoted by IRNA.
He also noted that Iran would make use of the ca-pacity of all its border crossings with Afghanistan to send and facilitate humanitarian supplies into the country.
