NEW YORK – Pakistan foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi held importantmeeting with United States Special Envoy for Afghanistan, Zalmay Khalilzad.

He called on Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi on Thursday in NewYork accompaniedby Alice Wells, the US Principal Deputy Secretary of State for South andCentral Asia.

Shah Mahmood underscored Pakistan’s support for all political initiativestowards achieving peace in Afghanistan during a meeting with ZalmayKhalilzad.

FM Qureshi said that Pakistan will support political settlement inAfghanistan. He emphasized that Pakistan regarded peace and stability inAfghanistan as vital for its own long-term stability and progress.

The foreign minister recalled that Pakistan had always held that there wasno military solution to the Afghan conflict. Pakistan, therefore, welcomedthe United States renewed emphasis on effecting a political settlement inAfghanistan.

Ambassador Khalilzad thanked Foreign Minister Qureshi for his support, andsaid he looked forward to working with Pakistan for peace and stability inAfghanistan, the statement said.