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EU welcomes extension of ceasefire

The European Union has welcomed India's initiative of extending the ceasefire in Jammu & Kashmir for another month as well as Pakistan's decision to partially withdraw its troops along the Line of Control and called for talks between the two countries.

"European Union welcomes the recent development, ie the announcement of a ceasefire by India and the latest move to extend it further for one month," French Ambassador to Pakistan Yannick Gerard told reporters in Islamabad.

"We think the fresh confidence-building measures are necessary and will continue in the future to pave the way for a negotiated settlement of the issue," Gerard said.

Reacting to the United Nations sanctions on Afghanistan's ruling Taliban, he said the EU would abide by the sanctions. The EU has been applying an arms embargo on all Afghan factions for several years, he pointed out.

Stating that the EU does not like to use sanctions as a way to conduct its foreign policy, Gerard, however, said, "There are sometimes situations where such sanctions are regrettably unavoidable, and when they are decided by the UN Security Council, European States do abide by them."

PTI

The Government's Ceasefire: The complete coverage

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