- New developments soon on China, Pakistan front
ISLAMABAD: Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi Thursday said that at least 30 foreign ministers and special envoys on Afghanistan are set to attend the upcoming OIC Summit on Afghanistan being held on December 19 and the permanent representatives from China, United States of America (USA) and Russia have also confirmed their participation.
Briefing a select-group of journalists here at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA), Qureshi, flanked by Minister for Information Fawad Chaudhry, Secretary MoFA and Foreign Office spokesman, detailed the effort being put in by the country to host the moot – the biggest show in the past 41 years.
“Besides the OIC foreign ministers, we have also invited special envoys of the Troika Plus and they have confirmed. Moreover, we have also invited foreign ministers from the European Union, Germany and others. We are also inviting the Foreign Ministers of P5 countries. Important European and other countries like Australia, Canada and others are also invited to attend the moot on 19 December. We also have invited a delegation of the Afghan Taliban to help them interact with the world community directly,” said Qureshi.
Terming the moot as first mega diplomatic session in past four decades, Shah Mahmood Qureshi said that Pakistan’s initiative of forging alliance of Afghanistan’s neighbouring counties has been noticed and western countries now want to join us in helping the starving Afghans.
“We developed a platform for six immediate neighbours of Afghanistan. We also availed Moscow format and effectively used Troika Plus forum to raise the humanitarian crisis brewing in Afghanistan. This is a very useful platform. We are now planning a meeting of the foreign ministers of immediate neighbours of Afghanistan in Beijing soon,” he added.
Qureshi said that there is a one-point agenda of the conference: humanitarian assistance to 38 million Afghans.
“We have been warning the world about the brewing crisis in Afghanistan. Now the UN, WFP and WHO are also resonating the same fact what we have been saying. They are saying now that 28.5 million Afghans don’t have adequate food. Overseas Afghans can’t help their families back home due to inactive banking system in Afghanistan. Call for supporting Afghans is picking momentum,” he said.
He said that the OIC secretary-general is arriving today (Friday) while other dignitaries would follow.
“There would be three sessions at the conference. Prime Minister Imran Khan would speak at the first session while other participants would also address. This session would be live on media. Working session would be a close session. We will play as bridge to help connect the gaps between the west and the Taliban,” he added.
West says that the Taliban Government is not inclusive while human rights women rights and help evacuation of their friends from Afghanistan. Now the western countries want the Taliban walk the talk.
We have told the west to engage with the Taliban and not abandon them. Moreover the west needs to give humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan. West needs to help Afghanistan stabilise the Taliban. OIC is the biggest forum after the UN.
Qureshi said that Pakistan has conveyed to the Taliban to allow women education but they say they don’t have funds to pay salaries to the teachers.
“Within the Taliban there are two shades. The one who interacted with the world while those who have come down from the mountains. Hence, the world needs to give some time to the Taliban and they would show flexibility”.
Referring to a meeting of 11 key former US commanders and ambassadors, who served in Afghanistan, also urged the Biden administration to find a way to engage with the Afghan Taliban.
“There are now voices from within the US to engage with the Taliban. Hamid Karzai has clarified that the Taliban didn’t took over Kabul by force and rather he had invited the Taliban after Ghani escaped,” he asserted.
Qureshi clears air on skipping US summit on democracy
Responding to a question about the country’s decision to skip US Summit on Democracy, Shah Mahmood Qureshi said that the invitation to Prime Minister Imran Khan was non-transferable and only the PM was invited to the summit.
The Foreign Minister said the virtual summit had three sessions and there were no opportunity to have an interactive session.
“The first session was chaired by US President Joe Biden while the second session was to be chaired by US Secretary of State. Pakistan was not invited to both the sessions. Rather, Prime Minister Imran Khan was invited to deliver a recorded speech in third session which was of no use in diplomatic terms,” he said.
Qureshi said that he had got a message from US Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman who said that the US administration understood the situation.
“She said that the US want to expand our relationship with Pakistan beyond Afghanistan. Next session of the US summit on Democracy would be held next year and the US is inviting Pakistan again. It would be an interactive session too,” Mr Qureshi said.
New developments soon on China, Pakistan front soon
Asked whether Pakistan would become a part of the China bloc, Qureshi said that Pakistan did not want to join any camp.
“We don’t want to be a part of any camp. We have had a consistent and long term relationship with China which is based on mutual trust and is time-tested. I have spoken with Counselor Wang Yi and there would be new developments soon on China, Pakistan relationship,” he added.
30 Foreign Ministers attending moot
Fawad Chaudhry told the briefing that the conference is the biggest event after 1980 by MoFA.
“22 foreign ministers from the OIC countries and 8 others have confirmed participation. Total 30 senior ministers are attending the moot including permanent representatives from China, US and Russia. Economic aid to Afghanistan is one point agenda of the conference. We are already facing a momentum of Afghan refugees and 2,90,000 Afghans have arrived Pakistan without even proper documentation. Since Pakistan is already hosting millions of Afghans, we can’t handle more,” he concluded.
