BAKU (Azerbaijan),
Oct 16: President Asif
Ali Zardari on Tuesday called
for speeding up work on joint
projects like the
Iran-Pakistan gas
pipeline,
electricity transmission lines and rail
and road
schemes.During a meeting
between President Zardari
and his
Iranian counterpart Mahmoud Ahmadinejad
on the sidelines of the
12th ECO summit, the two
sides discussed bilateral,
regional and
international
issues.From the Pakistani
side, the meeting was also
attended by Foreign Minister
Hina Rabbani Khar,
Senator Haji
Mohammad Adeel, mayatuflah Kakar and
Ambassador to Azerbaijan
Alamgir Babar.The president noted
that relations with Tian
were growing steadily and
expressed a Iran desire for more
collaboration in trade and
investment,energy and
connectivity to bring the two
peoples closer.He said greater
interaction between the
leadership and the two nations
would not only
strengthen
historical,cultural and
religious bonds but would also help
them to benefit from each
other’s
resources and
expertise.President Zardari
said there was a huge
potential for trade between the
two coun
tries and called for
concessions like
preferential tariff and free trade
arrangements to take the volume
or bilateral trade to $10
billion.“The agreement on
export of wheat and rice to
Iran is a test case for our
barter trade and if successful,
it can be replicated in other
areas.”President Zardari
called for removing tariff
and non-tariff barriers and
identifying alternative
arrangements to expand bilateral
trade.Asif Zardari and
President Ahmadinejad called
for expediting work on projects like the Iran-Pakistan
gas
pipeline, the 1000MW
Taftan Quetta power
transmission line, 100MW Gwadar
power supply project,
construction of Nushki-Dalbandin
section of Quetta-Taftan
highway and upgradarion of
Quetta-Taftan
railway track.Issues related to
visa facilitation and opening of new border posts at
Mand-Pishiri and Gabd-Rimdan to connect Karachi and Gwadar
with Chah Bahar and
Bandar
Abbas through the Coastal Highway were also discussed. President Zardari said Pakistan was concerned over the deteriorating situation in Syria. “We believe that stabiluy in this region is important for peace in the region and beyond.”He said Pakistan desired an immediate end to the bloodshed in Syria and wouldcontinue advocating principies of non-intervention and non-interference in the internal affairs of states.
The president said Pakistan supported independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of Syria
and that it would continue supporting any initiative which could provide political space to Syrian parties for
bringing peace and stability in the country.Mr Zardari reiterated Pakistan’s stance to support an Afghan-led and Afghan-owned reconciliation process .—APP
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