*WASHINGTON: China, Russia and the United States jointly welcomed Pakistanto a four-party consultation process and believed that Islamabad can playan important role in facilitating peace in Afghanistan, said a jointstatementlinkissuedin Washington by Department of States.*
“Pakistan appreciated the constructive efforts by the China-Russia-UStrilateral consultation on the Afghan peace process,” it added.
The four countries highlighted the importance of the trilateral consensuson the Afghan peace process reached in Moscow on April 25, 2019, and alsowelcomed intra-Afghan meetings held in Doha.
“They re-affirmed negotiations should be “Afghan-led and Afghan-owned” andfurther agreed that these negotiations should produce a peace framework assoon as possible. This framework should guarantee the orderly andresponsible transition of the security situation and detail an agreement ona future inclusive political arrangement acceptable to all Afghans,” thestatement read.
The four countries “encouraged all parties to take steps to reduce violenceleading to a comprehensive and permanent ceasefire that starts withintra-Afghan negotiations.”
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“The four sides agreed to maintain the momentum of consultation,” and alsodecided to invite other important and relevant stakeholders to join on thebasis of the trilateral consensus agreed on April 25, 2019, in Moscow.
The statement added that “This broader group will meet when intra-Afghannegotiations start. The date and venue for the next consultation will beagreed upon through diplomatic channels.”
