Chinese, Turkish FMs talk about Afghan issues over phone

BEIJING, Aug. 19 (Xinhua) -- Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu exchanged views on the Afghan situation in a phone conversation on Wednesday.

Wang said that the situation in Afghanistan has changed overnight, and what will happen next depends on the policy of the Taliban.

Taliban leaders have sent positive signals to the outside world, while a Taliban spokesperson has ensured the security of embassies in Afghanistan and expressed the willingness to establish sound relations with other countries, Wang noted, expressing his expectation that the commitments will be turned into concrete policies and actions.

The Taliban spokesperson has said that it is hoped that an inclusive new government can be formed in Afghanistan, and the country will no longer be a center for growing opium and trading drugs. The remarks, Wang said, indicated a right direction.

He also stressed that after the withdrawal of foreign troops from their country, the Afghan people have the opportunity to take their destiny in their own hands. The "Afghan-led, Afghan-owned" principle can also be possibly implemented in a practical way.

The key now, he said, is to find a reconstruction path that is suited to the Afghan national conditions, in line with the trend of the times, and understood and supported by the Afghan people.

To do so, the Taliban in Afghanistan needs to make a clear break with all terrorist forces and take measures to crack down on the international terrorist organizations designated by the United Nations Security Council, including the East Turkistan Islamic Movement.

It will be difficult for the process of peace reconstruction in Afghanistan to go smoothly, Wang said, calling on the international community to jointly encourage and support all the parties and nationalities in Afghanistan to cooperate in solidarity during the process.

For his part, Cavusoglu said he fully agrees with Wang on the Afghan issue.

China's views and stance on the Afghan situation are objective and fair, which respect the choice of the Afghan people and also encourage the Taliban to act in a responsible manner, Cavusoglu said.

He also urged relevant parties in Afghanistan to seek inclusive solutions and prevent the country from once again falling into a birthplace of terrorism.

Peace and stability in Afghanistan is very important for regional countries, including China and Turkey, he noted, adding that the situation in Kabul is gradually returning to calm and the Taliban is adjusting its domestic and foreign policies in a positive direction.

The Turkish side is willing to maintain close coordination and cooperation with the Chinese side, and push the situation in Afghanistan to develop in a favorable direction as soon as possible, he said.