Pakistan Criticizes Afghan Adviser’s Remarks On Taliban Talks

Islamabad, Feb 1, IRNA – Pakistan has angrily reacted to remarks by Afghan security adviser who described Islamabad as the main ˈobstacleˈ to the Afghan governmentˈs peace talks with the Taliban. Afghan National Security Adviser, Rangin Dadfar Spanta, on Thursday blamed Pakistan for “killing Afghans in rocket attacks” and advised the United States to choose between having Afghanistan or Pakistan as a strategic partner before Kabul is willing to sign the Bilateral Security Agreement (BSA). Pakistan Foreign Ministry rejected Spanta’s remarks in a statement and stressed that Pakistan has steadfastly supported peace and reconciliation in Afghanistan. “Spanta’s reported comments are both regrettable and out of sync with the constructive spirit in which the leaders of the two countries are engaged to build a positive Pakistan-Afghanistan relationship,” the Foreign Ministry spokesperson said. “Any view purporting to project Pakistan in a contrary light is removed from reality,” she said in a statement. The spokesperson expressed the hope in a statement that every effort would be made to maintain a conducive environment for constructive engagement. “Pakistan remains firm in its belief that an inclusive, Afghan-led and Afghan-owned peace and reconciliation process is of central importance for enduring stability. For its part, Pakistan has made concrete efforts to facilitate this process.” Spanta also criticized recent statements from Pakistani security adviser Sartaj Aziz who said in Washington that Afghan Taliban could agree to the talks after the April elections. Postponing peace talks to after the elections shows once again that Pakistan wants to interfere in the internal affairs of Afghanistan, the same as the past three decades, as they have continued their policy of sending suicide bombers and disrupting peace and stability in Afghanistan, Afghan media quoted Spanta as saying in Kabul./end