News
Saturday, September 03, 2011
Dushanbe summit vows to boost regional trade* Quadrilateral meeting of heads of state of Afghanistan, Pakistan, Tajikistan and Russia pledge to fight terrorism and narco trade
* Resolves to implement joint projects in energy, transport, communication and infrastructure development
DUSHANBE: The quadrilateral meeting of heads of state of Afghanistan, Pakistan, Tajikistan and Russia culminated on Friday in the adoption of a joint statement that pledged to strengthen regional trade, fight terrorism and narcotics trade.
The summit focused on joint efforts for peace and security in the region besides increased cooperation in communication, transportation and energy. President Asif Ali Zardari represented Pakistan and was accompanied by Defence Minister Chaudhry Ahmed Mukhtar, Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar and Minister for Petroleum and Natural Resources Dr Asim Hussain. The joint declaration also pledged to implement joint projects in energy, transport, communication and infrastructure development.
It also accepted President Zardari’s invitation to hold next quadrilateral in Islamabad next year.
President Zardari will hold bilateral meeting with the Russian president before returning to Pakistan later on Friday. Presidents of Russia, Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Tajikistan urged the NATO-led coalition in Afghanistan to step up the training of local security forces, as it completed its planned withdrawal.
About 10,000 US troops are due to leave Afghanistan this year as part of a gradual drawdown through the end of 2014.
US President Barack Obama announced in June another 23,000 American troops would leave Afghanistan by the end of next summer and leave behind a 65,000-strong force.
Tajik President Emomali Rahmon hosted Russia’s Dmitry Medvedev, Pakistan’s Asif Ali Zardari, and Afghanistan’s Hamid Karzai for talks in the capital, Dushanbe. In a joint statement after the talks, the leaders said that “reduction of foreign military presence in Afghanistan should be accompanied by adequate increase of efforts by the participants of the international coalition to train and arm Afghan national security structures.”
The four also agreed to work more closely to combat extremism and drug trafficking along with organised crime. They stressed the need to enhance regional trade and cooperation on energy projects and transport corridors. agencies
Courtesy www.dailytimes.com.pk