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Pakistan urges Afghan Taliban to return to peace talks

Xinhua, September 17, 2015 Adjust font size:

Pakistan on Thursday pushed the Afghan Taliban to return to the negotiation table weeks after the direct talks between the representatives of the Afghan government and the Taliban were postponed due to the confirmation of the death of Taliban leader Mullah Omar.

Pakistan hosted the first round of the Afghan peace talks near the capital Islamabad on July 7 and the second round was scheduled to take place on July 31. However, the talks were postponed at the Taliban's request as they had been focusing on transition after Mullah Omar's death.

Diplomatic efforts by Pakistan, neighbouring countries and other major players are now under way to revive the talks.

Pakistani Foreign Ministry spokesman Qazi Khalilullah Thursday said his country is ready to help with the revival of the Afghan peace process.

"Pakistan supports Afghan reconciliation process and hopes Afghan Taliban will renounce violence and return to the negotiating table," Khalilullah said at his weekly briefing in Islamabad.

The spokesman said Pakistan and Afghanistan are discussing measures to keep the border peaceful.

Pakistan and Afghanistan have nearly 2,600- kilometer common border, with most of which considered as porous, and the militants routinely take advantage due to rugged mountains for their cross- border movement. Endi