Pak highlighted threat posed by instability in Afghanistan at Moscow meeting: FO

Pakistan's delegation at the Russia-led peace conference on Afghanistan Friday highlighted the threat posed by the instability in the war-torn country to the neighbouring nations, the country's Foreign Office said.

The Foreign Office said the Pakistan delegation to the Moscow Format Consultations on Afghanistan held in Moscow was led by Additional Secretary (Afghanistan and West Asia) Muhemmed Aejaz.

"The participants of today's meeting candidly expressed their views about deteriorating security situation in Afghanistan and the threat it posed to the neighboring countries, which have been most affected by the Afghan conflict," the Foreign Office said.

"Pakistan's positive approach and consistent efforts to promote peace and reconciliation in Afghanistan through initiatives acceptable to the entire Afghan nation and the futility of military intensive approach which had resulted in colossal human losses and compounded miseries of the people of Afghanistan was particularly highlighted," it said.

Senior officials from Afghanistan, the US, India, Iran, China, Pakistan and some other countries also participated in the meeting aimed at starting of direct peace talks with the Taliban.

It was first meeting of the Moscow Format with participation of Afghan High Peace Council representatives and Afghan Taliban delegation from its Qatar political office.

India and the US were present in the meeting as observers.

Pakistan delegation noted that the phrase "Afghan-owned, Afghan-led" peace process, coined by Pakistan several years ago, had now been adopted as an international guiding principle in charting the collective way forward to achieving peace and reconciliation in Afghanistan, the Foreign Office said.

It also signified Pakistan's respect for Afghan sovereignty and the desire to empower the Afghan nation to take its destiny in its own hands, it said.

Pakistan delegation also underscored that all stakeholders had shared responsibility to help create favourable conditions for a result oriented peace process as there was no military solution to the Afghan issue, it added.

"Only a political settlement, fully cognizant of and responsive to the hard core socio-cultural, political and economic realities of Afghanistan, can restore peace in the country," Pakistan officials said at the conference, according to the Foreign Office.

Moscow Format was initiated in December 2016. Its membership gradually increased to eleven last year.

It signifies a growing consensus among regional countries for jointly promoting peace and reconciliation in Afghanistan.

It offers an opportunity to participants to exchange views on the prevailing situation in Afghanistan and its implications for the region, in particular for countries bordering Afghanistan.