June 02, 2019
Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan and Afghan President Ashraf Ghani held their first face-to-face talks on May 31 on the sidelines of the 14th annual summit of Islamic countries in Makkah, Saudi Arabia.
Ghani’s spokesman Samim Arif, in a tweet, reported the two leaders “discussed a host of issues including mutual trade, regional connectivity to eradicate poverty in both countries and counter terrorism efforts.”
According to Samim Arif, the meeting was a prelude to Ghani’s official visit to Islamabad which is scheduled for June 2019.
“Afghanistan is ready to leave its bitter history with Pakistan behind, and move toward a constructive state to state ties based on mutual respect rather than recrimination and hostility,” the tweet said.
According to a statement by Pakistani foreign ministry, PM Imran Khan reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to a peaceful and stable Afghanistan, reiterating that an Afghan-owned and Afghan-led peace process was indispensable for a political solution. The statement added that the two agreed on the need to work closely for intensifying cooperation on such issues as energy, security, trade, and cultural collaboration.
The rare interaction at the highest level is the latest sign of easing tensions that offers a glimmer of hope for improvement in their otherwise traditionally tense relations.
