Troika Plus nations to continue humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan: China

Beijing: Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Wang Wenbin Friday said that the participating countries of Trika Plus meeting expressed willingness to continue the humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan and strengthening anti-terrorism and security cooperation with the country.

“China, Russia, Pakistan and US held the Troika Plus meeting in Islamabad to exchange the views on situation in Afghanistan,” he said during his regular briefing.

Yue Xiaoyong, Chinese Envoy for Afghan affairs, led the delegation to the meeting, he added.

The spokesperson said that China elaborated the position on policies on Afghanistan and stressed that Afghanistan was at a crucial stage from chaos to order and facing challenges on political, economic and humanitarian fronts.

“All parties will continue to have dialogue with the Afghanistan in a constructive manner on the basis of respecting its sovereignty, territorial integrity and independence,” he added.

Wang Wenbin remarked that the Chinese side was ready to work with all parties and help to steadily improve the situation.

In a joint statement issued after the meeting, four parties called to respect territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence of Afghanistan and willing to continue practical engagement with Afghanistan and urge the international community for the provision of humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan.

“We welcome the role of UN as a coordinator in contributing to the stability and we condemned the terrorist attacks in the country,” he added.

He said that they also met with Afghanistan’s Acting Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi who shared the measures for building the inclusive government, protecting women rights and children rights and counter terrorism.

Yue Xiaoyong, Chinese Envoy for Afghan Affairs, the US State Department’s Special Representative and Deputy Assistant Secretary for Afghanistan, Thomas West and Russia’s Special Afghanistan Envoy Zamir Kabulov participated in the meeting. Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi presided over the meeting.

This is the first full-fledged meeting off the Troika Plus after Taliban’s takeover of Afghanistan.

The last meeting was held in Doha on August 11 while another meeting was convened by Russia in Moscow on October 19.