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Khalilzad welcomes Pakistan-Afghanistan agreement
US Special Representative for Afghanistan Reconciliation Zalmay Khalilzad has welcomed the Pakistan-Afghanistan agreement on a shared vision for support of peace and stability in both countries.
Khalilzad stated in a series of tweets late Sunday that the agreement could provide an opportunity to move forward on peace and development in the region.
1/4 We welcome and are encouraged by the positive development in Pakistan-Afghanistan relations. If implemented, it provides an opportunity to move forward on peace and development in the region.
— U.S. Special Representative Zalmay Khalilzad (@US4AfghanPeace) November 22, 2020
This comes after Pakistan’s Prime Minister Imran Khan visited Kabul last week and met with Afghan leaders including President Ashraf Ghani.
Khalilzad said overnight Monday that officials from the two countries agreed on “a Shared Vision between the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan and the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, to support peace and stability in both countries and the wider region.”
Khalilzad meanwhile pointed out that Khan’s visit to Kabul was a concrete step forward “as does the Joint Vision that Afghanistan and Pakistan announced.”
According to the Khalilzad, both countries emphasize Joint Vision on:
1) Preventing either country’s territory from being used against the other,
2) Inclusive governance,
3) Stronger people/government/security ties,
4) More integrated economic connectivity, trade, and development linking Central Asia, Pakistan, and Afghanistan.
“We also welcome Pakistan’s commitment to work for a reduction of violence and a ceasefire in Afghanistan,” Khalilzad said.
