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Cameron, Zardari pledge to cooperate following terror row

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

London, Aug 6, IRNA -- Prime Minister, David Cameron, and Pakistani President, Asif Zardari, pledged to further strengthen strategic and co-operative ties between the two countries after holding talks at Chequers, north west of London on Friday.

The two leaders affirmed in a joint statement to “deepen consultation on global and regional issues of peace and stability” by intensifying the UK-Pakistan Strategic Dialogue and confirming a yearly summit.

“Both leaders agreed that a strong, stable, secure and economically prosperous Pakistan is vital to global and regional peace and stability,” according to a copy of the joint statement obtained by IRNA.

Their talks at the British prime minister’s country residence followed a diplomatic row after Cameron accused Pakistan of exporting terrorism during a visit to India last week.

But in their statement, both leaders said they “agreed that terrorism and extremism are global issues and needed to be combated by intensifying cooperation at the global and regional levels.”

The dispute led to Pakistani intelligence cancelling a trip to Britain in protest, while Zardari also came under criticism for not cancelling his trip to the UK after his country suffered its worst floods in 80 years.

Cameron expressed the UK’s solidarity and support for Pakistan coping with the damage caused by the floods and pledged £10 million of immediate relief for the victims and for accelerating an already agreed £10 million bridge reconstruction program.

On specifics, it was agreed that Britain’s Home Secretary Theresa May would visit Pakistan in the autumn and that the Joint Working Group on Counter Terrorism would make proposals for enhancing practical co-operation ahead of the visit.

Pakistani Foreign Minister Qureshi is also due to meet his British counterpart William Hague under the revitalised Dialogue in October, while Cameron accepted an invitation to make an early visit to Pakistan.