Pak: it wants peace, stability in Afghanistan

Pakistan wants peace and stability in Afghanistan but boycotted the Bonn conference as it wanted to ensure the importance of its sovereignty, the foreign office has said. Foreign office spokesperson Abdul Basit told Pakistan Television on Monday that NATO airstrikes on two checkposts posts near the Afghanistan border killing 24 Pakistani soldiers made it impossible for Pakistan to take part in the Bonn conference. Delegates from over 100 countries and international organisations met in Bonn Monday to focus their energies on drawing up a roadmap for the war-torn Afghanistan's future. The 2011 Bonn conference was aimed at mobilising the international community in support of Afghanistan, and beyond 2014, when international combat troops are due to leave Afghanistan. Pakistan boycotted the conference to protest the NATO attack. Basit said Pakistan has always desired stability in Afghanistan. "Pakistan want to see a peaceful Afghanistan but after the Nov 26 incident, in which NATO forces directly attacked the country's sovereignty, it was impossible for us to participate in the conference" Associated Press of Pakistan quoted him as saying. "We had made a joint commission with Afghanistan to develop peace in the region and it was Pakistan's utmost wish to see a result-oriented reconciliation process in Afghanistan," he added.