MOSCOW, February 9 (Itar-Tass) — The U.S. presence in Afghanistan is unable to contribute to reconciliation and progress in the country, Pakistani Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar told Russia Today on Thursday.
America deployed troops in Afghanistan to achieve certain goals and carry out its tasks, the Pakistani minister said.
“We hope that most goals have been achieved, even if partially. We also hope that at the time the U.S. withdrew its troops Afghanistan will be in the better state than at the time America deployed its forces,” Khar stressed. However, she said, the long military presence in any region was always fraught by negative consequences, including for Afghanistan. In her view, the U.S. presence in Afghanistan cannot contribute to reconciliation and the successful development of the country.
Pakistan waits for American troops to be withdrawn, she said, adding that her country would watch the development of events because instability in Afghanistan would be a catastrophe for the region.
Pakistan reiterated that only joint efforts could help rid the region of terrorism. In her opinion, it is very important to exert maximum efforts in order to work out a collective decision to this effect, the foreign minister stressed.
Commenting on Islamabad’s joining the U.S. operation in Afghanistan, Khar said Pakistan paid a high price for cooperation with the United States.