ISLAMABAD: Afghan, Iranian and Pakistani Presidents met informally in
Islamabad Thursday night ahead of their summit in Islamabad on Friday,
officials said.
President Karzai and President Ahmadinejad arrived here Thursday for a trilateral Pakistan-Afghanistan-Iran summit.
The
three Presidents will address a joint news conference and issue a joint
communiqué will also be issued at the conclusion of the summit.
The
three leaders stressed the need for economic cooperation and completion
of all projects, especially the gas pipelines – one to import gas from
Iran and the second from Turkmenistan via Afghanistan and will be
extended to India, officials said.
The last trilateral summit was held in Tehran in mid-2011.
The
three-way format that would primarily focus on exploring cooperation
in the fields of economics and trade, counter-narcotics and
counter-terrorism, would provide an opportunity to the leaders to
discuss connectivity issues, efforts for jointly fighting terrorism and
organised crimes, officials said.
The leaders will also explore
ways to improve border management, controlling narcotics smuggling, in
addition to reconciliation with the Taliban in Afghanistan.
After
their informal meeting, President Asif Ali Zardarialso hosted a banquet
in honour of the visiting Afghan President Hamid Karzai and Iranian
President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad here at the Presidency, the presidential
spokesman said.
The banquet was attended among others by Prime
Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani, Chairman Senate Farooq H Naek, Speaker
Dr Fehmida Mirza, federal ministers, parliamentarians and diplomats.
Chairman
Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee, General Khalid Shamim Wynne, Chief of
the Army Staff, General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani, Chief of the Air Staff Air
Chief Marshal Rao Qamar Suleman, Chief of the Naval Staff, Admiral
Muhammad Asif Sandila were also present. Online
