China says, ‘Ready to facilitate a negotiated end to the Afghanistan conflict’

China has expressed will to facilitate intra-Afghan negotiations as part of efforts to end the two-decade-long war and a recent surge of violence that has claimed the lives of hundreds in recent weeks across the country.

According to the reports, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi while talking to Afghan National Security Adviser Hamdullah Mohib offered to host talks between Afghanistan’s rival factions.

Separately, in a recent telephone conversation with Afghan Foreign Minister Mohammad Hanif Atmar, Wang said China would continue to support Afghanistan in fighting the novel coronavirus pandemic and was willing to deepen anti-terrorism cooperation with the country.

Afghan Foreign Minister Mohammad Haneef Atmar expressed gratitude for China’s support in the Afghan peace process.

The Afghan Foreign Ministry also said in a statement that the two sides aimed to expand strategic cooperation to “ensure peace and strengthen regional consensus.”

Back on May 14, Pakistani Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi also reaffirmed his country’s support for the Afghan peace process for a sustainable political settlement in the neighboring country.

The intra-Afghan negotiations provide a historic opportunity to achieve an inclusive, broad-based, and comprehensive political settlement in Afghanistan for ending the long-lasting conflict, Qureshi said in a telephonic conversation with his Afghan counterpart Mohammad Hanif Atmar, according to the Foreign Ministry of Pakistan.

He said Pakistan welcomed the announcement of the three-day Eid al-Fitr ceasefire by the Afghan parties recently, adding that efforts should continue for a permanent ceasefire.

Both sides also agreed to maintain high-level bilateral exchanges and work together for the further consolidation of Pakistan-Afghanistan relations, according to the foreign ministry.