Pakistan Foreign Minister Qureshi discusses Israel-Palestine conflict with US Secretary of State Blinken

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi spoke with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Sunday and discussed various issues including the worsening situation in the Middle East.

The Foreign Office here said in a statement that the two leaders discussed bilateral relations and important regional developments.

Qureshi apprised Secretary Blinken of Pakistani people's “deep concern and anguish on the worsening humanitarian situation” in the Israeli and Palestinian territories and underscored the importance of US role in ensuring necessary steps to help address the “dire situation, restore peace, and facilitate a just solution,” it said.

He highlighted the salience of transformed Pakistan (Naya Pakistan), with its shifting focus on geo-economics.

He underscored that this vision rested on three central pillars of peace, development partnerships, and connectivity, the Foreign Office said.

Qureshi reaffirmed Pakistan's steadfast support for the Afghan peace process while underscoring that achieving a peaceful political solution in Afghanistan was the shared responsibility of all Afghan parties, as well as the key international and regional stakeholders.

Underscoring the importance of responsible withdrawal, the foreign minister stressed that reduction in violence, permanent ceasefire, and seizing this historic opportunity to secure an inclusive, broad-based and comprehensive political settlement was indispensable.

He highlighted Pakistan's immense sacrifices in the fight against terrorism and the progress made in strengthening the anti-terrorist financing and anti-money laundering regimes, the statement said.

Qureshi reaffirmed Pakistan's desire for a broad-based and comprehensive partnership with the US anchored in close economic cooperation, enhanced regional connectivity and common vision for a peaceful South Asia, it said.

Qureshi and Blinken agreed to stay in touch and work together on advancing the two countries' shared bilateral and regional interests, it added.