Waheed Mahmood
Will cement ties with Turkey on geo-strategic level: Zardari
ISTANBUL: President Asif Ali Zardari Friday underlined the importance of Turkish investment in Pakistan and said the government would take steps to remove bottlenecks in the way of foreign investors. He hoped that regular service of Islamabad-Tehran-Istanbul freight train would greatly improve intra-regional cooperation and business opportunities and called for its fast track completion.
The President was talking to his Turkish counterpart, Abdullah Gul who called on him ahead of Pakistan-Afghanistan-Turkey trilateral summit here.
He said there was a vast potential for Turkish investors in Pakistan. Both the countries should encourage their private sectors to collaborate closely in energy, infrastructure development, engineering, textiles, agriculture, telecommunications, mining, and technology sectors, he said.
He stressed the need both for institutionalising cooperation with Iran and upgradation of rail and road links between the two countries.
He said there was a vast potential for Turkish investors in Pakistan. Both the countries should encourage their private sectors to collaborate closely in energy, infrastructure development, engineering, textiles, agriculture, telecommunications, mining, and technology sectors, he said.
He stressed the need both for institutionalising cooperation with Iran and upgradation of rail and road links between the two countries.
The President welcomed Turkish cooperation and investment in the urban mass-transport systems and low-cost housing sectors.
President Zardari told his Turkish counterpart that both countries shared similarity of perceptions on a wide range of regional and international issues and added that Pakistan is keen to take its relationship with Turkey to an unprecedented level.
He expressed satisfaction over the contacts between the two countries at the leadership levels.
Zardari proposed an increase in number of flights to mutually agreed destinations between the two countries. The President expressed satisfaction at the progress achieved within the framework of the Pakistan-Afghanistan-Turkey Trilateral Process.
The Turkish President Abdullah Gul called for strengthening and expanding of the ECO Bank by bringing more members of the organisation on its platform.
He said that the member states of the ECO should try to resolve their problems by themselves. He invited President Zardari on a state visit to Turkey.
Foreign Minister Makhdoom Shah Mahmood Qureshi, Defence Minister Ch Ahmed Mukhtar and Chairman Board of Investment, Salim Mandviwala, Pakistan ambassador in Turkey, Tariq Azizuddin were also present.-APP
Posted in: World News
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