Trilateral summit in Islamabad to boost regional peace: Salehi
IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency
Islamabad, Feb 16, IRNA -- Development of regional peace and security is one of the main subjects of trilateral summit of Iranian, Afghan and Pakistani high-ranking officials, Foreign Minister Ali-Akbar Salehi said on Wednesday.
He made the remarks in response to reporters at the Pakistani airport.
“Iran, Afghanistan and Pakistan can help the resolution of regional problems; this is the third meeting of Iranian, Afghan and Pakistani presidents; cooperation on trilateral issues as well as the exit of NATO forces from Afghanistan on 2014 are also to be discussed in the summit,” he continued.
Salehi and his Afghan and Pakistani counterparts are expected to discuss latest regional and international developments, including the establishment of peace and security in Afghanistan.
The Iranian FM arrived in Islamabad Wednesday to hold talks with Pakistani counterpart about the preparations for visit of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.
The Iranian President will visit Islamabad for trilateral summit that also involves Pakistan and Afghanistan.
Director General of Pakistani Foreign Ministry Abrar Hussain and Ambassador of Iran to Pakistan Ali-Reza Haghighian, and the Iranian diplomats received the IRI Foreign Minister upon his arrival.
Afghan Ambassador in Islamabad Omar Dauzai said that the first session of the summit will be held Thursday evening.
The second session will be held on Friday and a joint communiqué will be issued at the conclusion of the summit.
Sources told IRNA that Salehi will meet Pakistani Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar on Thursday to discuss bilateral matters, focusing on agenda for trilateral summit.
This round of the two day summit of Iran, Pakistan and Afghanistan high-ranking officials will be held in Islamabad on Thursday and Friday.
Iran-Pakistan relations are developing and media outlets quoted Salehi as saying that President Ahmadinejad would participate in the trilateral summit of the Iranian, Afghan and Pakistani Presidents.
During President Ahmadinejad's upcoming visit to Pakistan, several issues such as Iran-Pakistan gas pipeline, providing Pakistan electricity and expansion of bilateral ties in the field of railway and air transportation is to be discussed.
The Pakistani sources have said that it would be a landmark visit of the Iranian president to the country, which would add a new and historic chapter to the bilateral ties between the neighboring countries.
During the visit, the two countries are expected to sign various Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) in trade, energy, cultural fields and bilateral co-operation in some other fields.
On the sideline of the trilateral summit, the sources said that President Ahmadinejad will meet with President Zardari and other Pakistani high-raking officials to discuss various issues.
‘Express Tribune’ quoting Pakistani Foreign Office spokesperson Abdul Basit reported that President Karzai will attend a trilateral summit with his Pakistani counterpart Asif Ali Zardari and Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in Islamabad.
Daily ‘Nawa-i-waqt’ in its report said that President Ahmadinejad will be visiting Pakistan to participate in trilateral conference. It said that at the end of the conference a joint deceleration would also be issued.
The first summit meeting of the three countries was held in Iran.
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Islamic Republic News Agency/IRNA NewsCode: 30820346
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