Pakistan, Afghanistan Agree On Action Against Anti-Peace Elements

Pakistan and Afghanistan agreed on Monday to jointly promote Afghan peace process with "legitimate political actors" and take action against those who refuse to join the reconciliation process.

The understanding was reached at a meeting between Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and Afghan President Ashraf Ghani on the sideline of the Climate Change Conference in Paris, the PM office in Islamabad said.

The meeting was held at a time when the relationship between the two neighbors had been at its lowest ebb over the past few months.

A group of Pakistani political leaders, who wrapped up their visit to Afghanistan on Sunday, convinced the Afghan president to meet the Pakistani prime minister to bridge the trust deficit, a member of the delegation has said.

"Both leaders agreed to work with all those who would enter such a process as legitimate political actors and act, alongside the Afghan government, against those who refuse to take the path of peace," the PM office said in a statement.

Discussions were also held on resumption of the peace and reconciliation process and Sharif offered to support an Afghan-owned and Afghan-led peace process.

The Pakistan-brokered direct talks between the representatives of the Afghan government and the Taliban were cancelled after Kabul announced the death of the Taliban leader Mullah Omar in late July.

Some friendly countries are now urging the Afghan leadership to revive the peace talks to promote political reconciliation.

Assuring support to the Afghan president, Shairf said, "Pakistan regarded the National Unity Government as the only legitimate, democratically-elected partner for Pakistan."

Ghani reciprocated the sentiments of working with Pakistan to develop peaceful, friendly and cooperative relations between the two countries, the statement said.

The meeting has raised hopes for removal of the misunderstanding between the two countries.

After the bilateral meeting, Sharif and Ghani also held a trilateral meeting with British Prime Minister David Cameron and discussed peace and security in Afghanistan, officials said. (Cihan/Xinhua)