KABUL - Afghanistan, China, Pakistan and Tajikistan have formally launched their four-nation counterterrorism alliance, media reports say.
Top commanders from the participating countries gathered in the Chinese city of Urumqi for the inaugural leadership meeting on Wednesday before announcing the new mechanism, known as the Quadrilateral Cooperation and Coordination Mechanism (QCCM) in counterterrorism.
Afghan Ministry of Defence spokesman Maj. Gen. Dawlat Waziri told reporters in Kabul on Thursday that Afghan Army Chief Gen. Qadam Shah Shahim represented Afghanistan at the alliance meeting that conferred on terrorism and counter-terrorism efforts.
He said Shahim also held fruitful meetings with Chinese military officials and discussed with them issues of mutual interests, including Beijing’s military assistance with Kabul.
China has recently provided Afghanistan with military assistance and Afghan authorities have been pushing for more aid.
The formation of QCCM was originally China plan, but Pakistan Army Chief Gen. Raheel Sharif played vital role in the process and for this purposed Sharif visited China and Tajikistan in March.
The participants unanimously agreed that terrorism and extremism are serious threat to regional stability and … reiterated to cooperate for tackling these forces for peace and stability of all member countries,” a communiqué issued at the end of the meeting said.
Under this arrangement, the four countries would cooperate in counterterrorism situation evaluation, clue verification, intelligence sharing, counterterrorism capacity building, counterterrorism joint training exercises and personnel training.
The QCCM, it was agreed, would work through consensus. The new mechanism clarified that it was not targeted against any state or international organisation.(Pajhwok)