Afghan, Pakistani peace assembly to meet in August

Afghanistan and Pakistan will hold a peace Jirga, or a peace assembly, in August, Afghan Presidential spokesman Mohammad Karim Rahimi said Tuesday.

The joint peace Jirga is scheduled to be held in the first week of August, Rahimi told a press conference.

He made this remarks just days after the visit of a Pakistani delegation, headed by Pakistani Interior Minister Aftab Ahmed Khan Sherpao, to Kabul.

The aim of the Jirga is to end the accusation between Kabul and Islamabad over cross border movement of militants and ensure stability along the common border between the two neighboring states.

Both sides, Rahimi added, would have a 350-member delegation from across the countries at the proposed assembly being held early August.

An Afghan delegation would soon tour Pakistan to further exchange views on the modalities of holding the Peace Jirga or assembly meeting, he added.

Afghan President Hamid Karzai and his Pakistani counterpart Pervez Musharraf agreed in the presence of President Bush at White House last year to help end militants cross border movement which has undermined the U.S.-led war on terror in Afghanistan.

Afghanistan has accused Pakistan of backing Taliban and al- Qaida fighters while Islamabad terms it merely allegation and rejects.

Source: Xinhua