UNSG urges Zardari to help Afghan in reconciliation

WASHINGTON: UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has asked Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari to help Afghanistan in its reconciliation process to find a political solution to the conflict.

"He (Ban) encouraged the President to help as much as possible with Afghanistan's reconciliation process," a spokesman of the Secretary General said.

"The Secretary-General emphasised the importance of regional cooperation and Pakistan's role in that," the spokesperson said after the meeting between Zardari and Ban on the sidelines of the NATO Summit in Chicago.

The two leaders also discussed next month's Rio+20 Sustainable Development Conference.

Ban thanked Zardari for Pakistan's significant contribution to peacekeeping, the spokesperson added.