This Article is From May 14, 2009

'US attacks thwarting peace efforts in Pak'

Islamabad:

Pakistan Premier Yousuf Raza Gilani and Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai on Wednesday expressed their resolve to root out terrorism from the region, even as the Afghan leader agreed that US drone attacks is hampering Islamabad's efforts to isolate Taliban in its tribal region.

This was expressed by the two leaders during a meeting on the sidelines of the Regional Economic Cooperation Conference on Afghanistan (RECCA) being hosted here by
Pakistan.

Karzai agreed with Gilani that the continuous drone attacks in Pakistan's tribal belt had been to the detriment of the government's strategy of dialogue, development and deterrence that is aimed at isolating militants from the tribesmen.

Karzai said his government would launch an operation in Afghanistan similar to the one started by Pakistan against terrorists and militants. The operation in Afghanistan, to be launched in the immediate future, will "fully back Pakistan's efforts in combating terrorism," he said.

Both leaders also discussed ways and means to enhance the mechanism for intelligence-sharing, cooperation in defence and strengthening people-to-people contacts through increased parliamentary exchanges, an official statement said.

Gilani said the hosting of RECCA reflected Pakistan's commitment to support the development of Afghanistan through "every possible means".

He said the conference was a landmark for strengthening relations with Afghanistan and for over all peace, stability and economic prosperity of the region.

He told Karzai of the Pakistan government's commitment to do "everything necessary" to sustain the new relationship between the two countries through development of regional infrastructure.

Both the countries will work for an integrated border management system as well as further improving bilateral trade and economic ties.

A separate meeting between Gilani and Karzai was also attended by the Foreign Ministers of the two countries and Pakistan Army chief Gen Ashfaq Parvez Kayani.

Earlier in the day, Gilani and Karzai inaugurated the RECCA meeting and expressed their resolve to work together for development and prosperity in the region. In his speech, Gilani said there is a need to put in place region-wide frameworks for energy and food security and border areas had to be developed by creating trans-border economic zones.

"We will transform our region into one, where terrorism and extremism are but a distant memory. And where future generations can enjoy the fruits of freedom, development and prosperity in an environment of security, stability and abundant opportunity," Gilani said.

Karzai, in his address, said though issues like poverty and drug trafficking were an obstacle to development, the most detrimental menace to the region was terrorism and extremism.

Frequent suicide attacks in both countries, attacks against civilians and security forces, torching of supply trucks are factors that have a serious impact on trade and progress, he said. "Pakistan and Afghanistan are the victims of atrocities of terrorists," he said.

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