Foreign Secretary Hosted the Heart of Asia-Istanbul Process’ Reception

Foreign Secretary, Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhry hosted a reception for the member and supporting countries and regional and international organizations of the Heart of Asia-Istanbul Process, today.

During 2015, Pakistan is co-chairing the Heart of Asia-Istanbul Process along with Afghanistan (permanent co-chair). Pakistan would host Fifth Ministerial Conference of the Process in last quarter of 2015.

In his remarks, the Foreign Secretary highlighted the importance Pakistan attached to the common principles and commitments guiding the Istanbul Process. He encouraged the member and supporting countries and organizations to synergize their efforts to pilot Afghanistan and the Heart of Asia region towards stability and prosperity. He underscored that enhanced regional cooperation is crucial to reinforcing Afghanistan’s national efforts for economic development and deeper regional integration.

The Foreign Secretary said that Pakistan would like the Heart of Asia Process aligned more closely to the priorities of the Afghan Government, reinforcing its reform agenda. He elucidated the events Pakistan would host in run-up to the Ministerial Conference, including Regional Technical Group meeting of the Disaster Management-Confidence Building Measure of the Process on 1 June 2015.

Ambassador of Afghanistan, Janan Mosazai in his remarks congratulated Pakistan for assuming the co-chairmanship for Heart of Asia-Istanbul Process for the year 2015 and expressed hope that the regional initiative would also pave way for strengthened ties at bilateral level. He stated that tangible and concrete results are expected from the activities envisaged under this process.

The Heart of Asia-Istanbul Process was established in November 2011 to provide a platform to discuss regional issues, particularly encouraging security, political, and economic cooperation among Afghanistan and its neighbours. The Process is aimed at expanding coordination between Afghanistan and its neighbours and regional partners in facing common threats, including counterterrorism, counternarcotics, poverty, and extremism, including through a set of six Confidence Building Measures

Islamabad
28 April 2015

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