By NNN-APP,
Islamabad : The foreign ministers of Pakistan, Afghanistan and Iran on Saturday agreed on a roadmap to jointly confront the challenges of extremism and terrorism facing the region.
The three countries signed an Islamabad Declaration envisaging the roadmap, after a trilateral meeting here between Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi, his Iranian counterpart Manouchehr Mottaki and Afghan Foreign Minister Afghanistan Rangin Dadfar Spanta.
Addressing a joint press conference the three foreign ministers expressed the resolve to join hands for the stability, security and development in the region through mutual cooperation in all the fields.
Foreign Minister Qureshi giving the details of the meeting said the three sides discussed the regional situation, connectivity and roadmap for the region to face the issue of extremism and terrorism.
Afghanistan, Iran and Pakistan are the three most important neighbours and the important players to achieve objective of peace and stability in the region, he said.
“It is important for the three countries to consult and have closer position on the situation that can confront us,” Qureshi said.
He mentioned the regional summit meeting in Istanbul, consultations in Russia to be followed by the London meeting on 28th January and added that the three foreign ministers discussed in detail the agenda for the roadmap to ensure security and stability in the region.
Qureshi said the finance and economic ministers of the three countries would meet in Kabul very soon and the intelligence and security chiefs would hold consultations in Tehran in the near future.
He said the next trilateral summit would take place in Islamabad on dates to be finalized through diplomatic channels.
Qureshi said they also agreed on a regional meeting of the foreign ministers of six immediate neighbours of Afghanistan, along with foreign minister at Tehran.
He said the three sides also agreed to confront the common challenges of illicit weapons and drug money through a comprehensive approach.
Also the three agreed to look into the possibilities of evolving regional approach to the challenges including illicit weapons and financing of militancy through drug money.
Qureshi said the meeting also agreed to support the national agenda announced by President Hamid Karzai in his inaugural address.
Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki said the meeting was aimed at developing a regional initiative as it would be a more realistic approach.
He said the three foreign ministers discussed the agenda and guidelines given by their respective leaders and expressed the hope that there would be common strategy to deal with the menace of extremism and terrorism.
The Iranian Foreign Minister said terrorism is a regional problem and it should be resolved through regional approach.
He said, “The trilateral process is not a move against any other initiative but an effort to coordinate our positions to address the challenges facing the region.”
He expressed the hope that it would yield positive results in weeks and months to come.
Foreign minister of Afghanistan Dadfar Rangin Spanta termed terrorism a regional issue and said there was a need to work together to build a “positive climate” through regional approach.
He said it was also the responsibility of the Muslim Ummah to reach out to help Afghanistan stand up on its feet. He hoped the follow up meetings would held on schedule.
Replying to a question Qureshi said the purpose of the meeting was to coordinate and support the international efforts. He said there was unanimity of views by all the three sides.
Spanta said Afghanistan has excellent relations with Iran and it is helping the country in all spheres as they share same destiny and future. Similarly it has excellent ties with the United States, India and Pakistan.
“I assure that never ever Afghanistan’s territory will be used against any other country,” Spanta said. He however said there was need to take Afghanistan out of the tension between its bigger neighbours.
About Iran-Pakistan gas pipeline project Qureshi said the two countries have made “excellent progress” and agreed to a sale-purchase agreement and made considerable progress.
Regarding Jundullah group, he said the two countries were cooperating and “we are cognizant of our responsibilities”. He said the two intelligence chiefs have met and put in place a very good mechanism of cooperation.