BEIJING, Aug. 27 (Xinhuanet) -- Visiting Afghan President Hamid Karzai has urged neighboring Pakistan to facilitate peace talks with the Taliban. Karzai said he hoped that progress could be made "in bringing stability and peace to both countries."

He said, "With the expectation that the government of Pakistan will facilitate and help in manners it can to the peace process in Afghanistan and in providing opportunities or a platform for talks between the Afghan High Peace Council and the Taliban movement. We hope that with this on top of our agenda we can move forward in bringing stability and peace to both countries."

Pakistan PM Sharif said, "I assured President Karzai that Pakistan will continue to extend all possible facilitation, and the international community’s efforts for the... to the international community’s efforts for the realisation of this noble goal. Pakistan would also help reinforce the regional efforts in support of stabilisation of Afghanistan."

It is Karzai’s first visit to Pakistan since Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif took office in June. The main purpose of his visit is to discuss Taliban peace talks.

Pakistan is seen as key to the process because of its strong historical ties with the Taliban. Pakistan released over two dozen Taliban prisoners at the end of last year and early this year in an attempt to facilitate the peace process.

Karzai said he hoped Pakistan would help arrange contact between the Taliban and the Afghan High Peace Council, the governmental body tasked with reconciliation. He also urged Islamabad to release high-ranking Taliban prisoners who might act as intermediaries.

(Source: CNTV.cn)