U.S. Kerry, Gen: Kayani discuss regional security

US Secretary of State, Mr John Kerry, and the army chief, General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani, have met and discussed ‘reconciliation process in Afghanistan and security issues concerning South Asian Region,’ the military said Monday.

“General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani, Chief of the Army Staff, who is on a scheduled visit to Jordan, met US Secretary of State Mr John Kerry at Amman, last night,” an army issued by the army’s information center said.

Secretary Kerry who is on a visit to Middle East was in Jordan on 24 March, the Pakistan army statement said.

No further details were given in the statement.

It was the first meeting of Pakistan’s army chief with John Kerry since he has assumed office in mid-December.

Kerry had been frequent visitor of Pakistan as a senator and chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

General Kayani and John Kerry discussed Afghan peace process days after President Hamid Karzai accused Washington of colluding with the Taliban and holding secret talks in Qatar.

The U.S. and Taliban had rejected Karzai’s claim as false.

Karzai had also been critical at Islamabad after Pakistani religious scholars boycotted a conference of Muslim clerics in Kabul this month, that was planned to adopt a joint approach against the violent extremism and suicide bombings which kill civilians.

The role of Pakistan and the U.S. is considered important to peace process in the war-torn Afghanistan at a time when the NATO forces are packing up.

Pakistan is believed to have deep influence on the Afghan Taliban and can play a key role to encourage the Taliban to enter peace process.

Taliban have so far refused to talk to the Afghan government on the plea that it does not have powers to make decisions.

President Karzai plans to visit Qatar soon to discuss the opening of Taliban political office in the Gulf state. Pakistan and the US have already supported the Taliban office in Qatar.

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Posted by Tahir Khan on Mar 25 2013. Filed under Latest News, National, Pakistan. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.