Afghan foreign minister upbeat on Pakistan ties

NEW YORK: Afghanistan's foreign minister is upbeat about relations with neighboring Pakistan after the release of the former Taliban deputy leader, which Kabul had long sought. For years, Afghanistan has accused Pakistan of supporting the raging anti-government insurgency, badly straining relations. But Foreign Minister Zalmai Rassoul said Saturday's release of Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar is the first signal that Pakistan's new prime minister is keeping his promise to cooperate with Afghanistan. Kabul has sought Baradar's release since he was arrested in Pakistan in 2010 after holding secret peace talks with the Afghan government. Rassoul told the Asia Society Tuesday, ''I'm more optimistic than in the past for the future of relations between Pakistan and Afghanistan.'' He batted away questions on whether he would run for the Afghan presidency in April 2014 elections.