President Zardari reaffirms Pakistan’s resolve for regional cooperation

President Zardari has reaffirmed Pakistan’s resolve to strengthen regional cooperation particularly in trade

President Asif Ali Zardari has reaffirmed Pakistan’s resolve to strengthen regional cooperation particularly in trade and economic fields for the progress and prosperity of the people.

Addressing the Economic Cooperation Organisation summit in Azerbaijan’s capital Baku today‚ he said Shaheed Benazir Bhutto gave a vision to promote trade among ECO and she struggled for the rights of women and children throughout her life.

President Zardari said the regional countries should make concerted efforts to combat all challenges of the day‚ including terrorism‚ poverty‚ and illiteracy.

He called for removing all the hurdles in the way of promoting mutual trade. In this regard‚ he proposed to launch a train service to promote trade and people to people contact among people of the member states.

The President said the ECO will have to make has to go a long way to establish it on the lines of Association of South East Asian Nations and the European Union.

Leaders from ten member countries including Pakistan‚ Afghanistan‚ Iran‚ Turkey‚ Azerbaijan‚ Tajikistan‚ Turkmenistan‚ Kyrgyzstan‚ Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan are attending the Summit.

President Zardari will also meet with leaders of other countries on the sidelines of the Summit and discuss bilateral relations and regional issues.

The Summit provides a platform to discuss ways to promote trade and investment opportunities among the member countries. The common objective of the member countries is to establish a single market for goods and services on the patron of European Union.

Meanwhile‚ Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar has stressed for strengthening intra-regional economic cooperation in important areas of trade and commerce‚ infrastructure connectivity and energy among the ECO countries.

Speaking at the Council of Foreign Ministers meeting ahead of the ECO Summit in Baku‚ she said this is essential to come up to the hopes and aspirations of the people of the region.

She said ECO Trade and Transit Transport Framework Agreement should be translated into effective vehicles for regional economic integration.

Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar also met Foreign Ministers of Afghanistan‚ Iran‚ Turkey and Azerbaijan on the sidelines of the meeting and exchanged views on recent developments in the region. Matters relating to Economic Cooperation Organization also came under discussion.