Drug trafficking: Zardari urges regional leaders to join hands

President Asif Ali Zardari on Monday urged the regional leaders to join hands in countering narco-trafficking, a major source of funding for militancy and terrorism. Talking separately to Afghan President Hamid Karzai and Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmedinejad, the President discussed bilateral relations, regional situation and global issues.
The leaders, who have gathered here in the Tajik capital to attend the Nauruz celebrations and the fifth Regional Economic Co-operation Conference on Afghanistan (RECCA-V), being hosted by Tajikistan. President's Spokesman Senator Farhatullah Babar said President Zardari urged the leaders for gearing up efforts for closer interaction so that the issue of drug trafficking was effectively addressed.
The spokesperson said the meetings were held in a very cordial atmosphere, in which the leaders had a frank exchange on views on bilateral as well as other matters of mutual interest, particularly peace in the region. He said the President in his meeting with the Afghan President reviewed the development projects being funded by Pakistan and were aimed at bringing about a positive change in the lives of the common Afghans.
The President said the two countries must work together towards attaining the shared goal of peace and prosperity in the region. President Zardari said Afghanistan, Pakistan and the region as a whole were passing through a defining moment. It has been the present government's consistent policy to strengthen their relations in all spheres with Afghanistan, as it firmly believes that a peaceful, prosperous and stable Afghanistan is in Pakistan's national interest, he added.
He also recalled and termed President Karzai's recent visit to Islamabad to attend the Pak-Afghan-Iran Trilateral summit as "extremely useful". The President hoped that Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani's appeal to all sections of the Afghan society to engage in intra-Afghan dialogue with the Afghan government would receive a positive response.
"Consistent positive messaging from both sides are beneficial for both of our countries," he remarked. President Zardari said Afghanistan being at the heart of the region, had a pivotal role to play in regional economic development. Initiatives such as TAPI, CASA-1000 and other infrastructure projects will help collective socio-economic progress, he added.
He said Pakistan and Afghanistan should also work together to extend APTTA (Afghanistan-Pakistan Transit Trade Agreement) to the Central Asian countries. The President said as they gather in Dushanbe for RECCA to provide regional integration, he hoped that Afghanistan would give serious consideration to Pakistan's request for its access to through the Wakhan corridor to Tajikistan.
The President told his Afghan counterpart that the parliamentary review process for re-engagement with the United States and the Nato/Isaf was going on and Pakistan would now engage with the US. on the basis of these recommendations. He, however, added that the Pak-US co-operation must be based on respect for Pakistan's territorial integrity and sovereignty. He also invited President Karzai to the Quadrilateral Summit to be held in Islamabad later this year.
President Zardari in his meeting with Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said the existing border control regime between the two countries needed to be revisited and further strengthened. Spokesperson Senator Farhatullah Babar said the two leaders discussed the whole gamut of issues and expressed satisfaction over the growing bilateral co-operation between the two countries in diverse fields and agreed to further strengthen their mutually beneficial ties.
The two leaders also recalled the recent trilateral summit in Islamabad and termed it a very productive meeting. They were unanimous in the view that together with Afghanistan, they should continue to explore avenues of co-operation. President Zardari said both Pakistan and Iran have vital interest in a stable and peaceful Afghanistan. The President noted with satisfaction at the growing co-operation between the national security agencies of Pakistan and Iran and urged the need of further expanding the co-operation.
The President assured his Iranian counterpart that Pakistan would never allow any terrorist outfit to use its territory against Iran. President Zardari said the two countries needed to prioritise economic and trade relations and should also ensure expeditious implementation of bilateral projects, including the Iran-Pakistan gas pipeline. He stressed that more efforts needed to be made to achieve the target of US 10 billion dollars bilateral trade.
He also stressed the need to work expeditiously on the Preferential Trade Agreement so that they may later move on to the Free Trade Agreement. They also discussed ways to facilitate export of wheat and kinno between the two countries. The President appreciated the fresh commitments for funding of projects made during Deputy President Ali Saeedlou's recent visit, particularly commitment for construction of Noushki-Dalbandin sector of Quetta-Taftan National Highway and the upgradation of Quetta-Taftan railway line. President Zardari said Pakistan and Iran also needed to co-ordinate closely on the regional and international issues of mutual concern.