Chinese FM says ready to facilitate internal talks among Afghan parties

BEIJING, May 17 (Xinhua) -- Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on Monday that China is ready to facilitate internal negotiations among various parties in Afghanistan, including creating necessary conditions for negotiations in China.

In a telephone conversation with Hamdullah Mohib, national security advisor to Afghan president, Wang said China and Afghanistan are traditional friendly neighbors, and China adheres to the principle of non-interference in others' internal affairs in its relations with Afghanistan.

China is always ready to treat Afghanistan as an equal on the basis of the five principles of peaceful coexistence, support Afghanistan in safeguarding its sovereignty, independence, territorial integrity and national dignity, and support the Afghan domestic peace and reconciliation process, Wang said.

Wang added that China is ready to continue to support Afghanistan on issues concerning its core interest.

Wang stressed that China endorses the "Afghan-led, Afghan-owned" principle and supports all parties in Afghanistan in finding a broad and inclusive political arrangement through peaceful means.

Although the U.S. unilateral withdrawal of troops at a crucial stage of the Afghan domestic reconciliation process has brought uncertainty to the evolution of the situation in Afghanistan, peace is the trend of the times, which fully complies with the fundamental and long-term interests of the Afghan people and is also the common expectation of the international community, Wang said.

For his part, Mohib said the peace and reconciliation process in Afghanistan could go through a difficult period.

Afghanistan thanks China's firm support for the peace process and looks forward to strengthening cooperation with China in this regard both bilaterally and within the framework of the UN Security Council, Mohib said.

Afghanistan adheres to the one-China policy and firmly supports China in safeguarding its own sovereignty and territorial integrity, Mohib said, adding that Afghanistan resolutely fights all forms of terrorism, including the East Turkestan Islamic Movement, and is ready to further deepen counter-terrorism and security cooperation with China.