News
Saturday, May 19, 2012
Zardari leaves to attend Chicago conference
ISLAMABAD: President Asif Ali Zardari on Friday left for Chicago to attend the 25th NATO summit on May 20-21, which is considered important for the future of the war-torn Afghanistan, the Foreign Office (FO) said.
Zardari is being accompanied by Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar and Foreign Secretary Jalil Abbas Jilani, according to the FO.
FO spokesman Moazzam Khan told Daily Times, “The discussion [in Chicago] would focus on the stability, peace and arrangement for Afghanistan, but Zardari and President Obama would also find opportunity to discuss issue of restoration of the NATO supply,” diplomatic sources said.
The sources said the Pakistani delegation would also meet Afghan officials to discuss the bilateral issues.
“The meetings on the sidelines of the conference are likely to facilitate negotiations concerning apology over Salala’s incident, which caused deterioration in Pakistan-US ties and suspension of NATO supply,” they added. According to the FO, the president would address the Expanded ISAF Meeting of NATO and also meet heads of various states on the margins of the NATO summit.
The president would attend the conference in Chicago on the invitation of NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen. Pakistani officials said that NATO had extended unconditional invitation to Pakistan. our correspondent
Courtesy www.dailytimes.com.pk