Islamabad: Pakistan, Afghanistan, the United States and Uzbekistan formed a new diplomatic platform to support peace and stability in Afghanistan and foster regional trade and business ties, the State Department said on Friday as US troops continue their planned withdrawal from the war-torn country, the Express tribune reported.

“The parties consider long-term peace and stability in Afghanistan critical to regional connectivity and agree that peace and regional connectivity are mutually reinforcing,” it said in a statement. The parties agreed to meet in the coming months.

Pakistan’s Foreign Office, in a statement, said that all four countries agreed in principle to establish a new quadrilateral diplomatic platform focused on enhancing regional connectivity.

“The parties consider long-term peace and stability in Afghanistan critical to regional connectivity and agree that peace and regional connectivity and mutually reinforcing,” it added.

“Recognising the historic opportunity to open flourishing international trade routes, the parties intend to cooperate to expand trade, build transit links and strengthen business-to-business ties,” the statement said.

The statement further said that the parties agreed to meet in the coming months to determine the modalities of this cooperation with mutual consensus.

Pakistan has long been making efforts for a peaceful solution to the crisis in the neighbouring country as Afghan security forces and the Taliban continue to battle in different districts of the war-ravaged country. (Express tribune)