Islamabad: Pointing out that Afghan
peace talks was "miles away", Pakistan Foreign Minister Hina
Rabbani Khar on Thursday said Islamabad was ready to nudge the
Taliban and their allies to make peace if asked to do so by
the Afghanistan government and not Americans or any others.
"I can't say what influence we have with either, but what
I'm saying is that we are willing to do whatever the Afghans
expect or want us to do," she was quoted as saying by The
Telegraph in London.
Experts see Pakistan as vital for any far-fethcing peace
process to take place in Afghnaistan given Islamabad's
historic ties with the militant group which dates back to the
Sovit occupation of Afghanistan.
A leaked NATO report this week had alleged that Pakistan's
military-run ISI maintains close relationship with the
Taliban.
Khar, who just returned from a one-day trip to Kabul,
said, full-fledged peace talks were still "miles away" and
could only begin once the Afghan government determined how the
process should be structured.
"Who can play this central role? Not Pakistan, the US,
Germany, the UK, Qataris, Saudis or anyone, it has to be the
Afghans," she said speaking to a small group of sleceted
foreign correspondents.
The much talked about peace process has picked up speed in
recent past with the Taliban's decision to set up a political
office in Qatar to facilitate talks.
However the entire process is smeard with lack of trust
between the main parties involved.
PTI
First Published: Thursday, February 02, 2012, 22:06