Pakistan Afghanistan take important decisions to improve bilateral coordination
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ISLAMABAD : Pakistan and Afghanistan have agreed to improve coordination between working groups constituted under Afghanistan-Pakistan Action Plan for Peace and Solidarity.
The agreement came at the first meeting of the working groups between Pakistan and Afghanistan in Kabul.
According to Foreign Office Spokesperson, the talks were held under the Afghanistan-Pakistan Action Plan for Peace and Solidarity.
Foreign Secretary Tehmina Janjua led a twenty eight member Pakistani delegation to the talks whereas Afghan side was represented by Deputy Afghan Foreign Minister Hekmat Khalil Karzai.
“Afghanistan and Pakistan held inaugural meetings of the five Working Groups (WGs) under the Afghanistan and Pakistan Action Plan for Peace and Solidarity (APAPPS) in Kabul,” read the statement issued by Afghan Presidential Palace.
According to the statement, the 28-member multi-departmental high-level delegation chaired by Janjua arrived in Kabul early Sunday.
The Pakistani delegation includes representatives from different agencies including foreign ministry, commerce, railways, communications, interior ministry, military and intelligence, read the statement.
The APAPPS is a bilateral framework between Afghanistan and Pakistan for enhancing cooperation and coordination between the two nations including reducing hostility by employing working groups on both sides.
“The APAPPS framework provides a comprehensive and structured mechanism to enhance engagement between counterpart institutions of the two countries. APAPPS is comprised of five Working Groups on Politico-diplomatic, Military, Intelligence, Economic and Trade and Refugees issues,” read the statement.
“Afghan Deputy Foreign Minister and Foreign Secretary of Pakistan led their respective sides in the politico-diplomatic WG besides co-chairing the opening and closing sessions of the APAPPS,” the statement said.
According to the statement, at the inaugural meeting of the Working Groups, the Afghan and Pakistani delegations assessed prospects for the APAPPS form that covers all mutual interests including anti-terror and security, peace and reconciliation, bilateral trade and transit, connectivity, Afghan refugees repatriation and promoting people to people contact.
Following APAPPS inaugural session, the five Working Groups held their respective group meetings and discussed Terms of Reference for future actions and the agenda for their next round of meetings which will be held in Islamabad, read the statement.
