KABUL, May 22: The G8 nations have called the Afghan and Pakistani foreign ministers to talks next week amid concern about deteriorating security in their countries, the German foreign minister said on Tuesday.
Frank-Walter Steinmeier was in Afghanistan days after three German soldiers were killed in a Taliban suicide bombing in the town of Kunduz.
“There are some threats particularly from the north of Pakistan,” he told reporters after talks with his Pakistan counterpart.
“That’s why we have invited the foreign ministers of the two countries to listen to their concerns which will enable us to find solutions to the problem.”
Foreign ministers of the Group of Eight most industrialised nations are due to meet in Germany on May 30.
The neighbours have long been trading recriminations about Taliban-linked violence, which is growing on both sides of the border.
“If there had not been concerns the international community would have not shown interests,” Mr Steinmeier said. “There are some concerns in this regard.”
Tensions erupted into almost two days of fighting along the border last weekend in which 13 Afghans were killed.
A US soldier involved in peace talks on the Pakistan side of the frontier was shot dead, reportedly by a man in Pakistan military uniform, as was a Pakistani soldier.
Afghan Foreign Minister Rangeen Dadfar Spanta said he hoped the meeting would spur Pakistan into more action.
“We are hoping that -- with the support of the G8 member countries -- Pakistan do more in the fight against terrorism.
“We believe that without cooperation between these two countries there won’t be peace in the region,” he said.—AFP
