Istanbul, January 4: Scoring a diplomatic point against India, Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan succeeded in including a reference on the conflict in Kashmir while issuing the joint statement with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. The two sides have called upon all stakeholders to engage in dialogue and approach towards a UN-sanctioned resolution to the dispute.

The statement, issued at the end of Khan's two-day visit to Turkey, said Istanbul and Islamabad "underscored the need for resolution of the issue of Jammu and Kashmir through a sustained dialogue process and in accordance with the relevant UN Security Council resolutions". Imran Khan Rakes Up Kashmir Issue After Death of Civilians in Blast Near Kulgam Encounter Site.

India has maintained that Kashmir is a bilateral issue with Pakistan and that third parties have no role in it. Khan and Erdogan also "recognised Turkish support for Pakistan's membership in the Nuclear Suppliers' Group based on non-discriminatory criteria, and reaffirmed that Pakistan's adherence to the NSG guidelines and participation in the NSG would strengthen global non-proliferation objectives".

The two nations acknowledged that sustainable peace and stability in Afghanistan could be achieved through reconciliation of all segments of Afghan society with support of regional countries and the international community.

They noted their expanding defence cooperation and expressed their resolve to further strengthening the existing economic, trade and commercial relations.

They also underlined their commitment to fight terrorism in all its forms and reiterated their resolve to counter the Fethullah Gülen organisation which Turkey regards as a terror group.

The two countries called on the international community to support the Palestinian people in realising their quest for an independent and sovereign state of Palestine on the basis of the 1967 borders with Jerusalem as its capital.

(With PTI inputs)

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jan 04, 2019 11:37 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).