By IRNA
Berlin : Germany on Monday called for stepped up political cooperation between Afghanistan and Pakistan in an effort to help stabilize the political situation in the war-stricken country.
Speaking at a routine weekly news conference in Berlin, German deputy government spokesman Thomas Steg said closer cooperation between the Afghan and Pakistan government was “urgently needed”.
He made clear that improving ties between Kabul and Islamabad was of a “special concern” to the German government.
Steg welcomed “positively” the latest Pakistani-Afghan peace Loya Jirga, aimed at ending Taliban and al-Qaeda-backed terrorism.
“It is an important step in the continued development of the country (Afghanistan) and the region,” the spokesperson said.
He urged boosting efforts in a bid to stabilize the government of Afghan President Hamid Karzai.
Steg reaffirmed that there was “no alternative to the Karzai government”.
The German official expressed also hope that “moderate and reasonable” Taliban political forces could be integrated in the process of stabilizing and rebuilding Afghanistan.
Some 3,000 German troops are deployed in northern Afghanistan as part of the NATO-led Security Assistance Force (ISAF).