Pakistan reaffirms confidence in friendly ties with Turkey

ANKARA: Visiting Pakistan's Foreign Minister Ms Hina Rabbani Khar and Turkey's Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu Thursday voiced confidence in future of friendly bilateral relations between their countries, Today's Zaman newspaper reported.

Speaking at joint press conference following talks with Davutoglu , Ms Hina Khar described invitation (to her to visit Turkey by Davutoglu) “not by accident but by design,” to display strength of relations between the two countries Davutoglu dubbed “closer than brothers.”

Davutoglu said friendship between two countries was transferring into fields of politics and economy, with both countries aiming to enrich ties by way of exchange programs at various levels and increased trade volume that is expected to reach $2 billion in 2012.

“We are currently at a yearly trade volume of close to $1 billion with Pakistan, but we are planning to take it up to $2 billion next year,” he added.

Ms Hina Khar said project for a cargo train route between two countries, which will decrease costs of trade significantly for both sides, is to be implemented. Saying she was speaking on behalf of Pakistani people, she indicated that “Pakistan has great confidence in where Turkey will stand in the future” and that the country was a “pillar of stability” in the region and its efforts appreciated by her people.

The two ministers also mutually expressed that two countries were “on the same page” in their approach towards Afghanistan and Palestine.

On Turkey's stance on Palestinian bid for international recognition and admission to United Nations, Davutoglu said initiative to protect Palestinian state “is not just an effort by Palestinians, but by all of us,” adding Palestine has “unquestioned support” of Turkey in its application to UN for further recognition.

“International community has failed to fulfill its pledges to Palestine up until now, it is about time to change that.” Ms Hina Khar also spoke in support of Palestinian bid by saying “whatever path Palestine decides to follow, Pakistan will be by its side.”

Copyright PPI (Pakistan Press International), 2011