Foreign Minister of Pakistan Makhdoom Shah Mahmood Qureshi met US National Security Advisor John Bolton at the White House today, says a press release received here today from Washington DC. They discussed Pakistan-US bilateral relations and the regional situation in South Asia, including the efforts to bring about a peaceful resolution to the Afghan situation. Sharing Pakistan's perspective, Foreign Minister Qureshi reiterated Pakistan's long held position that there was no military solution to the situation in Afghanistan. He stated that Pakistan would continue to support the efforts for an Afghan-owned and Afghan-led peace and reconciliation process in Afghanistan. Welcoming the renewed US focus on achieving a political resolution in Afghanistan, the Foreign Minister underscored that Pakistan regarded peace and stability in Afghanistan as vital for its own long-term stability and progress. Referring to Pakistan's continued efforts to positively engage the National Unity Government in Afghanistan, the Foreign Minister underlined that the Afghanistan Pakistan Action Plan for Peace and Solidarity (APAPPS) provided the most effective mechanism to promote mutually beneficial cooperation between Pakistan and Afghanistan. In the context of achieving stability in South Asia, Foreign Minister Qureshi briefed his US interlocutor about India's aggressive posturing in the region. After initially agreeing to Prime Minister Imran Khan's peace initiative, the government in India had caved into internal politics. FM Qureshi underscored that, on its part, Pakistan remained committed to engaging India in a comprehensive peace dialogue to resolve all outstanding issues including the Jammu and Kashmir dispute. The two leaders agreed that continued Pakistan-US cooperation will be in the interest of regional peace and security in South Asia.
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