By ANI Saturday February 3, 01:09 PM
London, Feb 3 (ANI): Afghan Foreign Minister Rangeen Dadfar Spanta has warned Pakistan against 'nursing hegemonic ambitious towards Afghanistan', and advised it to stop "using terrorism as an instrument of foreign policy".

Some circles in Pakistan in their self-interest were out to destabilize Afghanistan "because they subscribe to a hegemonic policy against us which is a continuation from the days of Taliban," the Dawn quoted him as saying.

Spanta, who here on his first visit to the UK, asked Pakistan to reduce and control what he termed as cross-border terrorism and to stop financing terrorist cells which (according to him) were being used to train the terrorists.

He said that Afghanistan had been discussing with Pakistan about this matter to remove all the misunderstandings and misperceptions. "We want to be friend of Pakistan, we are ready to open all our roads. Today our bilateral trade has reached over a billion dollars whereas during the Taliban days it was only 23 million dollars," he added.

He further said that a peaceful and stable Afghanistan was in the interest of Pakistan and the region, but warned once again that "there is no chance of Afghanistan accepting the hegemony of another country." (ANI)

Afghanistan Ready for Talks with Pakistan: Spanta
By Raza Mumtaz 'Pakistan Times' Executive Editor/UK Bureau Chief
LONDON (UK): Afghanistan Foreign Minister Dr.Rangeen Dadfar Spanta said here on Friday that his country was ready for talks with Pakistan on all the outstanding issues facing the two countries.

Speaking at a news conference at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, he said it was in the interest of both the countries to see a stable Afghanistan." If there is stability in Afghanistan, the whole region will be peaceful and prosper and develop as well."

Dr.Spanta said the trade relations between Afghanistan and Pakistan have grown manifold since the ouster of Taliban government.

The volume of trade between the two neighbouring countries now stood at US $ 1.3 billion compared with mere US $ 23 million when the Taliban were in power, he said.

He opposed the mining of the border areas with Pakistan and termed it as "practically impossible and financially not feasible" given the long border between the two countries.

The Afghan Foreign Minister expressed hope that Afghan refugees living in Pakistan and Iran would eventually return home. He said some 4.5 million Afghan refugees were living in these countries and to bring all of them home require huge financial cost.

He noted that the international community has already committed funds to enable these Afghan refugees to return home and was hopeful that all the displaced persons would come back to their homeland in due course of time.

Responding to a question, he said Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India gas pipeline was still a live issue and they were waiting for the appointment of new Turkmenistan leader to succeed late President Saparmurat Niyazov for resuming further discussion on it.

The Afghan Foreign Minister, in UK for the past two days to hold bilateral discussion with the British officials, also opposed nuclearisation of the region.

Responding to another question, he said Afghan government was ready to give amnesty to those political groups who accept the Afghan constitution and abide by the laws of the country