Chinese foreign minister hosts counterparts from Pakistan, Russia

By Riyaz ul Khaliq

ISTANBUL (AA) – The Pakistani and Russian foreign ministers on Wednesday separately met their Chinese counterpart Wang Yi .

Shah Mahmood Qureshi and Sergey Lavrov are in China to attend the third meeting of the foreign ministers of Afghanistan's neighboring countries due to take place on Thursday and Friday.

Wang received the Pakistani and Russian foreign ministers in the Tunxi city of eastern China's Anhui province.

This is the second meeting between top diplomats of China and Pakistan -- historically strong allies which also call themselves “iron brothers” -- in the past two weeks.

Wang was in Pakistan for the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) foreign ministers’ summit last week where he met Qureshi.

Following the meeting, a statement by Pakistan's Foreign Ministry said Qureshi and Wang exchanged views on the situation in Ukraine where Russian bombings continue.

Qureshi "conveyed readiness to help facilitate a diplomatic solution including through the OIC platform." Pakistan last week proposed a joint mediation by the OIC and China to bring peaceful outcome to the Russia-Ukraine war.

After the meetings, China's Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Wang Wenbin said: "China and Russia have always adhered to developing bilateral ties based on non-alignment, non-confrontation and not targeting third countries, and will continue to promote world multi-polarization and democracy in international relations."

- Investment in Afghanistan top agenda

At the Afghan meeting set for Thursday, investments in the war-torn country and combating terrorism are expected to top the agenda.

Iran, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan will also attend the meeting, along with Afghanistan's interim Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi.

Wang on Wednesday also held a three-way meeting with the foreign ministers of Pakistan and Afghanistan.

Earlier this month, Wang traveled to Kabul and discussed the possible participation of Afghanistan in China's multi-billion dollar Belt and Road Initiative.

On his way to China, Iran's Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian said on Twitter that Afghanistan deserves “more international attention.”

“Iran and China reaffirm their support for independence, national unity, and the people’s right to self-determination,” he said, calling for “a stable, developed, and interactive Afghanistan.”

Pakistan hosted the first edition of the meeting on Afghanistan last September, followed by Iran last October.

Afghanistan is undergoing a humanitarian crisis after the US decision to block Afghan foreign reserves worth $7 billion.