External actors should not use Afghanistan to serve domestic agenda: Chinese envoy
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E-mail Xinhua, November 21, 2020
UNITED NATIONS, Nov. 20 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese envoy on Friday told a high-level Arria-formula meeting on the peace process in Afghanistan that no external actors shall use the Afghanistan issue to serve their domestic agenda.
"The international community should respect the Afghan people's will and make sure the peace process is 'Afghan-led and Afghan-owned.' No external actors shall impose solutions, or use the Afghanistan issue to serve their domestic agenda," Geng Shuang, China's deputy permanent representative to the United Nations, told the meeting, which was co-organized by Security Council members Estonia, Germany and Indonesia, together with co-sponsors Afghanistan, Finland, Norway, and Qatar.
Noting that Afghanistan is the heart of Asia, the envoy said that the situation there has a direct impact on the peace and stability of the region.
"As the peace and reconciliation process now enters a critical juncture, so does the future of Afghanistan," he added.
Speaking of China's position on Afghanistan, Geng said that China welcomes the launch of the first intra-Afghan negotiations in Doha on Sept. 12, "which provides a window of opportunity to end the conflict that has plagued Afghanistan for decades."
"As a close neighbor of Afghanistan, China sincerely hopes that the parties involved could, through peace talks, bridge differences, lay down their arms, and find an effective political solution that will bring peace, stability and development to Afghanistan at an early date," he said.
"There is no doubt that the negotiation process will not be an easy and smooth sailing. But the parties involved should stay committed and strive for best results. History has told us that the Afghanistan issue can only be resolved through political means," said the envoy.
"Afghanistan is a bridge between South Asia and Central Asia. Only through connectivity and regional cooperation can it fully unleash its geographical potentials to better promote national development and improve people's livelihood," the envoy said.
"China will continue to help Afghanistan strengthen economic ties and connectivity partnerships with regional countries, including through collaboration under the Belt and Road Initiative," Geng said. Enditem
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