ISLAMABAD, Pakistan, May 24 (UPI) -- Pakistan and Afghanistan have said they are working together to defuse rising tensions between the two countries over the Taliban militia.
Pakistan's foreign affairs spokeswoman, Tasneem Aslam, said the Afghan ambassador met a senior Pakistani Foreign Ministry official Tuesday to discuss issues of mutual concern. The Afghan envoy met the official ahead of a visit by the Afghan Foreign Minister to Islamabad.
"There was an exchange of views on several issues, including a visit by the foreign minister of Afghanistan," Aslam said, adding a report that Ambassador Nangyalai Tarzai had been summoned to the foreign office was wrong.
"The meeting took place at his request," she explained. "No date for the visit by the Afghanistan (Foreign) Minister Rangeen Dafdar Spanta had yet been finalized."
A local news report said that against the background of a war of words between the two governments, Pakistani Premier Shaukat Aziz and Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai agreed earlier this month that their foreign ministers should meet every quarter.
Recent days, The Hindu newspaper said Thursday, have seen a heightening of verbal exchanges running parallel with the escalation of the Afghan conflict.
Over 200 combatants and civilians are reported to have been killed in stepped up fighting between Taliban fighters and the NATO-led international security assistance force in southern Afghanistan.
"The Taliban was mounting attacks on Afghan territory with help from the other side," Afghan Foreign Minister Rangeen Dafdar Spanta said.
"The Afghan government's failure to deal with the situation cannot be placed at Pakistan's door. Pakistan has itself been a victim of the conflict in Afghanistan for over a quarter of century," Aslam countered.
