Pak-Afghan-Iran summit in Islamabad today

[Safriz]

SLAMABAD: The presidents of Pakistan, Afghanistan and Iran will meet here today (Thursday) at third trilateral summit, committed to promoting regional cooperation and strengthening peace and stability.

President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad of Iran and Afghan leader Hamid Karzai are expected to arrive in Islamabad today. The three sides have been holding the trilateral summit since 2009, but so far they have made little headway in substantively bolstering cooperation because of their mutual suspicions.

Additionally, US influence on Afghanistan and Pakistan has prevented the forum, established on President Ahmadinejad's initiative, from taking off in real terms.The joint declarations issued at the end of the two previous meetings virtually carried nothing more than reiteration of their commitment to the much cherished goals of expanding political, security, economic and cultural ties, maintaining peace and stability in the region and attaining prosperity of their people.

Pak-Afghan-Iran summit in Islamabad today

 

[Pakistanisage]

This is what I am talking about. Pakistan, Iran and Afghanistan need to get serious about economic cooperation and a defence pact. These three countries plus Turkey need to have a defence pact to protect themselves. They have a commonwealth of 350 Million People, a large enough market support economies of scale.

My feeling is that these countries should stop screwing around and make substantial and concrete plans to come together. There is strength in numbers.

 

[Safriz]

Although this is a positive move and if sincerely done,the trio can do a lot to the extent that all three countries can cooperate enough to get rid of foreign dependance..
But then again they have met before...and nothing came out of it.

 

[iPhone]

That is excellent news. Iranian president Mehmood Ahmed Inajaad is in Islamabad. There couldnt be any better news for Pakistan at this time. And this happening on the heel of sour relations between Iran and the west and Pakistan and the US, holds so much more value. At this point Pakistan and Iran can gain and accomplish so much with each others help.

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P.S. Guys PTV is doing some excellent coverage of the Iranian visit. If anyone has access to some pics post them plz.

 

[Alchemy]

For any multilateral forums to succeed there needs to be common goals or objectives , common friends and enemies .

what would work in its favor in the present context could be Pakistan and Iran's dislike for USA.

 

[cheekybird]

Hope our president learns something from Ahmedinejad

 

[Sugarcane]

Hope our president learns something from Ahmedinejad

cutay ke dum kabhi sedhi nahi hote

 

[Omar1984]

In Farsi

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[Omar1984]

 

[Omar1984]

 

[AcesAreDirty]

APP50-16 Best pic!

what's up with the smirk on Rabbani's, Gillani's and Rehman's face while some Afghanistanis look abhorrently, while right hand side from Gen. Kayani is reading them like a book?

Looks like papa karzai knows his scum gang of northern alliance filled with drug lords and war lords is nearing END.

 

[Omar1984]

APP50-16 Best pic!

what's up with the smirk on Rabbani's, Gillani's and Rehman's face while some Afghanistanis look abhorrently, while right hand side from Gen. Kayani is reading them like a book?

Looks like papa karzai knows his scum gang of northern alliance filled with drug lords and war lords is nearing END.

Karzai's tone with Pakistan changed drastically in this past year, but he is just a puppet and should not be taken seriously. Even U.S. is throwing him away like tissue paper and talking with Taliban.

Karzai demands access to meet Taliban present in Pak | Top Stories | South Asian News Agency

He thinks Pakistan will help him, but Pakistan will most likely not. He is too pro-india.

 

[Omar1984]

Taliban deny talks with Karzai govt

KABUL: The Afghan Taliban rejected, on Thursday, claims by President Hamid Karzai that the US and Afghan governments had begun exploratory three-way talks with the hardline group aimed at reaching a peace deal to end the 10-year Afghan war. Karzai told The Wall Street Journal newspaper in an interview that the Taliban were ‘definitively’ interested in a peace settlement to end the war and that all three sides were now involved in discussions. Afghan president said in the interview that a three-way session was held in the past month, but gave no details. An Afghan official, speaking on condition of anonymity, also said the session had taken place. “The Islamic Emirate strongly rejects his words that we have talked with his careless administration and we do not have a plan to talk with President Karzai’s administration,” Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said in a statement, using the name by which the Taliban often calls itself. agencies


Daily Times - Leading News Resource of Pakistan

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Zardari vows to respect Iran gas deal

* Pakistan, Iran agree to put in place effective arrangements to prevent violent incidents on border, drug trafficking

* Zardari for removing barriers in trade with Iran

* Ahmadinejad appreciates Pakistan’s role for regional peace

Staff Report

ISLAMABAD: President Asif Ali Zardari on Thursday reiterated commitment for expeditious implementation of the Iran-Pakistan Gas Pipeline Project, a 1,000MW electricity transmission line and 100MW Gwadar power supply in order to meet the country’s growing demands for energy and power.

Zardari said this during his meeting with Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad at the President’s House.

Briefing the media, the president’s spokesman Farhatullah Babar said that during a one-on-one meeting, followed by a delegation-level talks on the sidelines of the trilateral summit, the two leaders held wide-ranging discussions on bilateral, regional and international issues.

President Zardari proposed to encourage barter and trade in local currencies between Pakistan and Iran, besides removing tariff and non-tariff barriers.

He said enhancing bilateral cooperation, particularly in energy and infrastructure, would help the two countries overcome the challenges in the way of realisation of full existing potential of their relations, and realise the goal of raising bilateral trade to the $5 billion target that he said was feasible.

President Zardari called for enhancing bilateral cooperation between Pakistan and Iran for promoting peace, stability and economic progress of the people of the region in general and of the two countries in particular.

The two sides also agreed to put in place effective measures and better coordination between each other’s border control authorities to prevent violent incidents on the borders.

President Zardari said Pakistan and Iran faced a common menace of drug trafficking across their borders and expressed the hope that initiatives and mechanisms on both sides would help counter trafficking of narcotics in the region.

The Iranian president, on the other hand, thanked his Pakistani counterpart and Pakistan’s government for the warm welcome and appreciated Pakistan’s role in promoting regional stability and peace and for its keen interest in further strengthening the existing cordial relations with Iran.

Ahmadinejad said Pakistan was an important neighbour for Iran and assured his government’s continued support and assistance in all sectors.

According to the spokesman, President Zardari said the trilateral summit provided a useful forum for coordination on Afghanistan and expressed optimism about the positive outcome of the summit. He also thanked Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and his government’s efforts for attending the important summit.

Earlier, Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani, during his meeting with the Iranian president, underscored the affinities between both the countries, stressing that shared culture, religion, border and history would help tap immense trade potential existing between them.

The prime minister also extended his gratitude to the Iranian leader for his country’s provision of electricity to Gwadar. He said import of electricity from Iran would partially alleviate the electricity crisis in the country.


Daily Times - Leading News Resource of Pakistan

 

[Omar1984]

PM Gilani, Iranian President agree to pursue energy projects on fast-track basis

ISLAMABAD, Feb 16 (APP): Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani and Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on Thursday agreed to pursue the energy projects including electricity and gas on fast-track basis.This was agreed during a meeting between Prime Minister Gilani and President Ahmadinejad here at the Prime Minister House on Thursday evening.The two leaders exchanged views on matters of mutual interest in a frank and cordial atmosphere. They discussed the status of Iran-Pakistan gas pipeline as well.Both the leaders also discussed bilateral cooperation in various fields such as energy, banking, agriculture, infrastructure and trade.


The Iranian President said that his country was ready to enhance trade with Pakistan up to $ 10 billion within a couple of months. Both leaders also decided to improve the border management to facilitate transportation of goods.

Both sides showed their willingness to open a new border point at Gabd and Reemdan between the two countries along the coastal highway of Pakistan.

The Iranian side also indicated its keen interest to import one million tonnes of wheat and 200,000 tonnes of quality rice from Pakistan within weeks.

The Pakistani side was apprised of the progress made in connection with opening of the office of Pakistan Consulate General at Bandar Abbas to facilitate trade and travel.

Earlier, Prime Minister Gilani underscored the affinities between both countries, stressing that shared culture, religion, border and history would help tap immense trade potential existing between them.

The Prime Minister also extended his deep sense of gratitude to the Iranian leader on his country’s provision of electricity to Gawadar area. He said that the import of electricity from Iran would partially alleviate the electricity deficiency in the country.

From Pakistan side those who attended the meeting included Minister for Foreign Affairs, Ms. Hina Rabbani Khar, Advisor on Petroleum and Natural Resources, Dr. Asim Hussain, Minister for Communications, Dr. Arbab Alamgir, Minister for Water and Power, Syed Naveed Qamar, Minister for Textile Industries, Makhdoom Shahabuddin and Senior Government Officials.

Those who attended from Iran side included Foreign Minister, Ali Akbar Salehi, Advisor and Head of President office, Asfandyar Mashaei, Vice President in Executive Affairs, Hameed Baghaie, Ambassador of Iran to Pakistan, Alireza Haghighian and other senior officials.


Associated Press Of Pakistan ( Pakistan's Premier NEWS Agency ) - PM Gilani, Iranian President agree to pursue energy projects on fast-track basis

 

[Omar1984]

Pakistan-Iran-Afghan talks ‘a message of defiance’ to the US

With trilateral talks between the leaders of Iran, Afghanistan and Pakistan underway in Islamabad, one question arising is what each side has to gain. Political analyst Ahmed Quraishi says Pakistan is sending a message of defiance to the US.

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and Afghan President Hamid Karzai arrived in Pakistan for a trilateral summit aimed at addressing how Islamabad should facilitate negotiations between Afghanistan and the Taliban. Many see the move as a defiance of US will by two traditional American allies – Pakistan and Afghanistan – who are now seeking to include Iran, a stated adversary of the US, into the negotiation process.

Ahmed Quraishi, the President of the Paknationalists Forum, believes each side is pursuing its own goals.

“Washington considers Iran as some sort of an enemy,” he told RT, “and Pakistan is sending a message that Pakistani policy – for quite some time, actually – would be independent and that Pakistan would pursue its interest even if those interests do not fall within the larger, strategic plan of the United States in the region.”

Quraishi noted that Iran timed the visit specifically because of rising fears brought on by war rhetoric coming from the US and its allies. He noted that Iran’s principal aim was to ensure that it would not become encircled by Washington's allies.

“They’re worried about the rhetoric and drums of war – the psychological warfare, and I think they’re very keen to ensure that at least two neighbors – Pakistan and Turkey – will not join the pro-US encirclement of Iran,” Quraishi noted. “Pakistan continues to be the weak link because there are people within the Pakistani power structure who would probably support US use of Pakistani territory against Iran.”

As for Afghanistan, Quraishi said the country’s leadership isn’t keen on pursuing the American method of fighting the Taliban, and is now willing to include the Taliban in the national power structure. That, according to Quraishi, is Karzai’s main goal in Pakistan
“He’s meeting with key Pakistani political and religious leaders, Islamic leaders who have maintained traditionally very close ties to the Afghan Taliban and other Afghan resistance groups,” he remarked. This move, Quraishi says, is a major shift for Afghanistan, as it had previously shunned those groups.

The analyst said he does not believe President Karzai is really thinking of fighting the Afghan Taliban, but that he is looking toward integrating them and opening his own direct talks. "And I think everybody is,” he added.


Pakistan-Iran-Afghan talks