Afghanistan, Pakistan pledge to build better relations

Oct 30, 2008, 15:45 GMT

Ankara - Pakistan and Afghanistan leaders on Thursday reiterated their pledges to cooperate towards promoting peace, security, stability and economic development in the region.

Meeting in Istanbul with Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Pakistan Prime Minister Syed Gilani and Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai vowed to continue cooperation in a number of fields and welcomed talks to promote peace in the two countries.

'(Gilani and Karzai) expressed satisfaction on contacts and cooperation between the two brotherly countries and they have agreed to continue with their dialogue and to further enhance cooperation in all fields with a view to achieving stability and promoting prosperity of their peoples,' said a statement released after the meeting held on the sidelines of an economic forum in Istanbul.

The neighbours also agreed to launch joint economic development projects in order to promote development and cooperation.

The three leaders also said they would try to hold another trilateral summit at the earliest convenience.

Relations between the two countries have been tense with Afghan and Western complaints that Pakistan has not done enough to stop extremists in Pakistan and also its recent negotiations with Taliban militants.