News
Thursday, November 22, 2012
World leaders arrive for D8 Summit
* Presidents of Turkey, Iran, Indonesia, Nigeria arrive to participate in meeting of Muslim leadersISLAMABAD: Leaders from various Muslim countries started arriving in the capital on Wednesday for the Development Eight summit to be held today (Thursday) at the Presidency.
Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan arrived on Wednesday evening for the meeting aimed at forging closer trade and economic ties, besides discussing bilateral ties with the Pakistani leadership.
Erdogan was received at Nur Khan Air Base by Information and Broadcasting Minister Qamar Zaman Kaira. He was presented a guard of honour by a contingent of the three services and national anthems of the two countries were played.
Erdogan will meet Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf and discuss Pakistan-Turkey ties. Raja will also host a dinner in honour of the visiting dignitary and members of his delegation. The Turkish PM will also meet President Asif Ali Zardari and hold a round of talks with him.
Also arriving for the meeting was Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad who will besides the summit discuss with the Pakistani leaders a whole range of bilateral matters. Textiles Minister Makhdoom Shahabuddin, the minister-in-waiting, received Ahmadinejad as he alighted from his special aircraft.
Children clad in the national dress presented bouquets to the visiting dignitary. A contingent of the three services presented him a guard of honour, as national anthems of the two countries were played. The Iranian president will join other leaders of the D8 member states.
He will meet President Zardari and Prime Minister Raja on the sidelines of the summit and is likely to discuss a range of bilateral issues, including the situation arising out of Israeli attack on Gaza, Afghanistan and Iran-Pakistan gas pipeline project.
Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono also arrived in Islamabad to participate in the summit of Development Eight being held today. He was received by Defence Minister Syed Naveed Qamar as he alighted from his special aircraft. Two children clad in traditional dresses presented bouquets to the visiting dignitary.
A contingent of armed forces presented guard of honour to the Indonesian president. The national anthems of both countries were also played. He is also scheduled to meet President Asif Zardari and Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf.
Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan also arrived on Wednesday to participate in the summit of Developing Eight being held today.
The Nigerian president was received by Federal Minister for Kashmir Affairs and Gilgit-Baltistan Mian Manzoor Wattoo at the Nur Khan Airbase. Upon arrival, the Nigerian president was presented a guard of honour by a contingent of the armed forces. National anthems of the two countries were also played. app
Courtesy www.dailytimes.com.pk