ISLAMABAD, December 11: Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi has praised a recently adopted declaration in Istanbul on the war-torn country of Afghanistan as part of a meeting of Heart of Asia countries.
Speaking to Turkish news agency Anadolu Agency in Istanbul, Foreign Minister Makhdoom Shah Mahmood Qureshi said the most important part of the talks was “the consensus to resolve challenges within Afghanistan.”
Qureshi was in Istanbul as part of the 8th Ministerial Conference of the Heart of Asia-Istanbul Process that convened at Dolmabahce Palace under the theme of Peace, Partnership, and Prosperity.
“The Istanbul declaration is a very comprehensive document that has been agreed upon and has been shared with all participants which sets the tone for the future,” he said, referring to the document adopted at the end of the meeting. “The plan of action that has been agreed upon is a step forward and the guidelines, the working principles for the Heart of Asia are an important step forward,” he added.
“There is no military solution to Afghanistan,” he said. “What Afghanistan needs is Afghan-led, Afghan-owned forces supported by the international community.” – Agencies
