UN's top Afghan envoy in Pakistan holds parleys

The UN Secretary General's Special Representative for Afghanistan, Nicholas Haysom has arrived in Pakistan amid media reports that the Taliban and the Afghan government are set to start peace talks, officials said Friday.

The UN envoy met Pakistan's Advisor to the Prime Minister on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz and other senior officials at the foreign ministry and"exchanged views on the evolving situation in Afghanistan and positive trajectory of Pakistan-Afghanistan relations", Xinhua news agency reported citing the foreign ministry said.

Officials say Pakistan has played an important role to encourage the Taliban insurgents to join the intra-Afghan dialogue. Pakistan army chief, Gen. Raheel Sharif, who met Afghan President Ashraf Ghani in Kabul Feb 17, assured him of help in the peace process. A Presidential Palace statement in Kabul had appreciated "Pakistan's efforts in paving the ground for peace and reconciliation" that has opened a debate in Afghanistan about the talks.

Afghanistan Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah told cabinet ministers this week that the talks with the Taliban would start in "coming days". He also thanked Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif for sending the army chief to Kabul, the third since the National Unity Government was formed in September.

"The UN envoy was apprised of the qualitative transformation of bilateral relations between Pakistan and Afghanistan with special emphasis on political engagement, security and counter-terrorism cooperation, trade and commercial interaction, and regional cooperation," a Pakistani foreign ministry statement said.

The advisor reiterated Pakistan's continued support for UN mission in Afghanistan and underscored the need for close partnership between Pakistan and the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) to advance shared goals of peace and development in Afghanistan.

He also welcomed the renewed prospects of intra-Afghan reconciliation and reaffirmed Pakistan's resolve to facilitate the process in all manners possible, the foreign ministry said.

Haysom acknowledged Pakistan's pivotal role in peace and stability in Afghanistan and expressed satisfaction that Pakistan and Afghanistan were deepening cooperation across a broad range, including peace and security, and trade and economic ties.

Briefing on UNAMA's efforts for peace and development in Afghanistan, he restated the UN's commitment for continued engagement and consultation with Pakistan.