President Ashraf Ghani meets President Mamnoon Hussain

President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani met with President Mamnoon Hussain this evening. During the meeting, the exchange of views centered on Pakistan-Afghanistan relations and regional cooperation.

President Mamnoon Hussain extended a warm welcome to President Ashraf Ghani and his entourage on behalf of the government and people of Pakistan. He recalled his own visit to Kabul on 29 September 2014 to attend the swearing-in ceremony and thanked for the gracious reception he had received. The President added that the people of Pakistan were happy to see the peaceful democratic transition in Afghanistan and wished the Afghan people all success in their endeavours to achieve peace and progress.

President Mamnoon Hussain reaffirmed Pakistan’s desire to build a broad-based and forward-looking relationship with Afghanistan. The President emphasized that along with security cooperation, mutual collaboration in the economic arena must also grow significantly. The President reaffirmed Pakistan’s support for an inclusive Afghan-led and Afghan-owned peace and reconciliation process.

In the regional context, President Mamnoon Hussain highlighted Pakistan’s efforts to build a peaceful neighbourhood and promote friendly relations and economic development. He further underlined the importance of trans-regional energy projects like CASA-1000 and TAPI gas pipeline. The President said that with mutual cooperation, the two countries could achieve great heights.

President Ashraf Ghani expressed thanks for the warm welcome accorded to him and his entourage. He also thanked the President for attending the swearing-in ceremony in Kabul in September. President Ashraf Ghani reiterated the desire that the two countries work closely to enhance mutual cooperation in all areas of common interest. President Ashraf Ghani emphasized the importance of common endeavours for peace and stability, enhanced trade and economic ties, energy and connectivity, and regional cooperation.

After the meeting, President Mamnoon Hussain hosted a banquet in honour of the President of Afghanistan.

Earlier in the day, the Minister for Finance Mr. Ishaq Dar and the Adviser to the Prime Minister on National Security and Foreign Affairs Mr. Sartaj Aziz called on President Ashraf Ghani. The discussion focused on deepening economic cooperation, both in the bilateral and regional context, with a particular focus on bilateral trade, transit trade, energy, industry, infrastructure, and road and rail connectivity.

President Ashraf Ghani also visited the GHQ for a briefing on security matters. Subsequently, he addressed a Pakistan-Afghanistan Business Forum.

President Ashraf Ghani will have meeting with Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif tomorrow. The two leaders would also hold delegation-level talks.

Islamabad
14 November 2014

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