News
Sunday, July 17, 2011
Pakistan, Iran resolve to boost economic relations
* Zardari meets Iranian President Ahmedinejad
* Both leaders agree on adopting regional approach to address growing extremism and terrorismTEHRAN: President Asif Ali Zardari and his Iranian counterpart, Mahmoud Ahmedinejad, on Saturday, agreed to boost economic relations between the two countries.
Zardari, in his meeting with Ahmedinejad here, proposed a currency swap and free trade agreements between Pakistan and Iran to further strengthen bilateral trade and economic ties between the two brotherly countries.
Zardari said Pakistan was already engaged in negotiations with Turkey, Sri Lanka and China for the currency swap arrangement.
Zardari, who, on the invitation of the Iranian leadership, arrived in the Iranian capital on a daylong visit, held two rounds of talks with President Ahmedinejad; first the delegation level talks and then one-to-one meeting.
The two leaders agreed on adopting regional approach to address the growing challenge of extremism and militancy.
The Pakistani president and President Ahmedinejad expressed the confidence that joint efforts would prove helpful in countering terrorism, which, they agreed, was a common enemy of the entire region and the world.
Zardari mentioned the long drawn fight against militancy, and stressed the need for long-term measures and joint efforts to eliminate it.
Interior Minister Rehman Malik, Minister for Water and Power Syed Naveed Qamar, Minister for Petroleum Dr Asim Hussain and Spokesman to the President Farhatullah Babar also accompanied the president.
Briefing the media, Spokesman to the President Farhatullah Babar said Zardari held wide-ranging parleys with President Ahmedinejad, with focus on establishing a comprehensive strategic and economic partnership between the two countries.
The two leaders expressed their resolve to upgrade and further intensify their existing bilateral ties, particularly in the fields of energy, trade and economics for the mutual benefit of people of the two brotherly countries.
The two leaders held in-depth discussions that covered the entire spectrum of bilateral ties, regional and international issues of mutual interest. The discussion also focused on ways and means to further intensify their mutually beneficial cooperation in all areas of common interest.
The two sides agreed on the need to expand, strengthen and take their bilateral cooperation in diverse fields to the level, which commensurate their warm, deep rooted and historic ties.
President Zardari lauded Iran’s constructive engagement in the trilateral process and in this respect mentioned last month’s Pakistan-Iran-Afghanistan Trilateral Summit hosted by Tehran. appCourtesy www.dailytimes.com.pk