Next meeting on Afghan peace dialogue likely this month: Sartaj Aziz

ISLAMABAD (Staff Report) - Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's special adviser on foreign affairs Sartaj Aziz has said that next meeting on proposed Afghan peace dialogue is expected this month.

In a statement, Aziz said that Pakistan is ready to assist Afghanistan in holding direct talks with Taliban insurgents for political stability in region. He, however, urged both sides to avoid placing prior conditions for successful dialogue. The meeting will take place in Islamabad.

Sartaj Aziz also did not make it clear whether the meeting would be attended by any representative of Taliban or not. Pakistan, Afghanistan, China and United States are part of a quadrilateral committee formed to create a healthy environment for Afghan peace process.

Earlier, the dialogue process was halted in the end of February this year, when Taliban leaders and Afghan government refused to attend a proposed meeting in the first week of March, adding preconditions to the dialogue process.

An alike direct meeting between Afghan Taliban and government was held in Murree, Pakistan last year, however process was jeopardised by the news of Taliban chief Mullah Omar's death.