Page 9 - ARUBA TODAY

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WORLD NEWS Friday 28 June 2019

Afghan president visits Pakistan, talks peace, renews ties

By MUNIR AHMED ment statement, the two in October 2001 to oust the
Associated Press leaders "agreed to open a Taliban and hunt down al-
ISLAMABAD (AP) — Af- new chapter of friendship Qaida chief Osama bin
ghanistan's president Thurs- and cooperation between Laden following the Sept.
day praised Pakistan's ef- Pakistan and Afghanistan, 11, 2001, attacks on the
forts to advance the peace based on mutual trust and United States.
process in the region as he harmony for the benefit of On Thursday, the Penta-
reached out to Islamabad the two peoples and coun- gon announced the iden-
for help in bringing the Tal- tries and for advancing tities of two soldiers killed
iban to the negotiating the cause of peace, stabil- in combat on Wednesday
table with the Kabul gov- ity and prosperity in the re- in Uruzgan province. They
ernment, Pakistani officials gion." were 32-year-old Army
said. It said Ghani and Khan Master Sgt. Michael B. Riley
Ashraf Ghani's remarks also agreed that endur- and 24-year-old Army Sgt.
came at the start of a two- ing peace in Afghanistan James G. Johnston. The
day visit to Pakistan, his first would bring rich econom- Pentagon said both men
since elections that brought ic dividends to both the In this photo released by the Press Information Department, vis- died of wounds sustained
Prime Minister Imran Khan countries. iting Afghan President Ashraf Ghani reviews guard of honor in from small arms fire while
to power last year. The visit It said Khan "reaffirmed Islamabad, Pakistan, Thursday, June 27, 2019. engaged in combat op-
is also seen as an attempt Pakistan's commitment to Associated Press erations. No other details
by Ghani to reset the often- support the Afghan peace were provided.
strained relationship be- process as a shared re- ever, say they will sit down tative. An earlier attempt at restart
tween the two neighbors sponsibility." It quoted Khan with any Afghan, even a More than 2,400 U.S. ser- Afghan-to-Afghan talks
amid the stalled peace as saying that Pakistan sup- government official, but as vice personnel have died was scuttled after neither
push with the Taliban. ports a result-oriented intra- an ordinary citizen and not in Afghanistan since the side could agree on the list
Ghani arrived in Islamabad Afghan dialogue. as a government represen- U.S.-led coalition invaded of participants.q
a day after U.S. Secretary Ghani was also scheduled
of State Mike Pompeo vis- to meet with President Arif
ited Kabul, where he said Alvi before traveling to the
Washington was hopeful of eastern city of Lahore to
a peace deal before Sept. attend a gathering of busi-
1. His visit also came after nessmen.
dozens of Afghan political He met with Khan ahead of
leaders — but no Taliban the next round of talks Sat-
representatives — attend- urday between the Taliban
ed a peace conference in and Khalilzad in Qatar,
Pakistan last week to pave where the insurgents main-
the way for further Afghan- tain a political office.
to-Afghan dialogue. Paki- Ghani was expected to
stan has facilitated ongo- meet with Pakistan's army
ing peace talks between chief Gen. Qamar Javed
Washington and the Tal- Bajwa, who is believed to
iban as U.S. envoy Zalmay have played a key role in
Khalilzad tries to find a ne- arranging talks between
gotiated exit to the 17-year Khalilzad and the Taliban in
war in Afghanistan. recent month
Ghani on Thursday first met Since being appointed in
with Foreign Minister Shah September, Khalilzad has
Mahmood Qureshi be- met with all sides, including
fore holding a one-on-one the Taliban, Afghan officials
meeting with Khan. and Pakistan's political and
During his meeting with military leaders. The Taliban
Qureshi, the Afghan presi- currently control nearly half
dent thanked Islamabad of Afghanistan, and are
and "praised Pakistan's role more powerful than at any
in the peace process," ac- time since the 2001 U.S.-led
cording to a Foreign Minis- invasion.
try statement. The Taliban have refused
Later, he met with Khan in to talk directly with Kabul,
his sprawling office. considering it a U.S. pup-
According to a govern- pet. The insurgents, how-