Islamabad: The top officials from
Afghanistan, Pakistan and the US will meet here next week to
push for peace and reconciliation process in the region,
Pakistan Foreign Ministry said on Saturday.
US Special Representative Marc Grossman, Afghanistan's
Deputy Foreign Minister Jawid Lodin and Pakistan Foreign
Secretary Salman Bashir, along with the representatives of
Military and Intelligence of the three countries will
participate in the meeting, a Foreign Ministry statement said.
The Core Group has been established to promote the
process of reconciliation and peace in Afghanistan.
Sources said the meeting on August 2 is likely to
discuss the recent tension along the Pakistan-Afghanistan
border.
Pakistani military says that Pakistani militants have
established bases in border regions of Afghanistan and launch
attacks on Pakistani border posts and villages.
Afghan officials say Pakistani forces have fired
hundreds of rockets and artillery shells into Afghanistan and
killed dozens civilians.
The trilateral meeting is taking place at a time when
the US has started phased withdrawal of its troops from
Afghanistan. Several other NATO member countries have also
announced gradual withdrawal of their forces and the process
will be completed by 2014.
NATO forces have already transferred security
responsibility to Afghan forces in five areas.
Meanwhile, Taliban militants have stepped up attacks
on foreign and Afghan forces and government officials in
recent days.
Taliban had claimed responsibility for the killing of
the brother of Afghan President Hamid Karzai, who was shot
dead by his guard in Kandhar this month.
Bureau Report
First Published: Saturday, July 30, 2011, 23:45