WASHINGTON: The United States on Thursday welcomed Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf's visit to Kabul and his talks with the Afghan leaders to help advance reconciliation in the conflict-hit neighboring country.

Responding to a question at the daily press briefing, State Department Spokesman Patrick Ventrell also applauded the upcoming visit to Pakistan by the head of the Afghan High Peace Council, Salahuddin Rabbani.

While commending the Pakistani prime minister's visit to neighboring Afghanistan, the spokesman referred to the statement issued at the end of the trilateral meeting in Tokyo involving Pakistani and Afghan foreign ministers and the United States Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, noting that these visits should determine additional “concrete steps to advance Afghan reconciliation” process. “So we welcome it” Ventrell added.