Gilani's interaction with Karzai was cordial: foreign office

The Foreign Office on Saturday described media reports as speculative about Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani's meeting with Afghan President Hamid Karzai to have taken place in tense atmosphere, saying the interaction was cordial in which both the dignitaries agreed to implement decisions taken at recent Istanbul Trilateral Summit.
Gilani met Karzai on the sidelines of Saarc Summit in Maldives on Friday, which a section of press reported as a session that 'sparked swapping of allegations'. However, commenting on the reports Foreign Office spokesperson Tahmina Janjua termed these as speculative, saying that the bilateral meeting on the sidelines of the Saarc Summit in the Maldives was held in a cordial atmosphere and provided a good opportunity for a frank and in-depth exchange of views.
"Both sides agreed that the decisions reached at the recent Istanbul Trilateral Summit should be implemented," Tahmina said, adding that Pakistan had always demonstrated goodwill towards Afghanistan and believed that reinvigoration of a co-operative approach was important. The Maldives bilateral meeting was a step in that direction, the spokesperson added.
The November 1 Istanbul Trilateral Summit participated by President Asif Ali Zardari, Turkish President Abdullah Gul and Afghan President Hamid Karzai had come up with a joint statement reasserting their resolve to cooperate in fight against terrorism, which constitutes a crime against humanity, and extremism in all its forms by effectively tackling its financial resources.
The trio also reiterated their determination to furthering the Trilateral Summit Process by elaborating multi-dimensional trilateral co-operation in all relevant fields of joint interest including public private partnerships. Relations between Islamabad and Kabul faced a serious setback after Kabul openly accused Pakistan's Inter-Service Intelligence (ISI) and the purported 'Quetta Shura' for involvement in killing of former Afghan president and chairman High Peace Council Professor Burhanuddin Rabbani, who was killed in a suicide attack in September 20, 2011.
The spokesperson added that the Prime Minister recounted Pakistan's consistent efforts to have the best of relations with Afghanistan and several initiatives have been taken in this regard. Pakistan supported an Afghan-led and Afghan-owned process of reconciliation and peace, she said, adding that Pakistan would continue to work constructively for strengthening friendly and brotherly relations with Afghanistan.
On matters relating to reconciliation and peace, the Prime Minister said that it was for Afghanistan to specify and lead the process. Gilani told Karzai that Professor Rabbani's tragic assassination was a setback to the process, adding Rabbani was highly respected and a good friend of Pakistan. The spokesperson also quoted President Karzai affirmation that Afghanistan attached importance to its relations with Pakistan.