- Title: PAKISTAN: Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan arrives
- Date: 26th October 2009
- Summary: ISLAMABAD, PAKISTAN (OCTOBER 25, 2009) (REUTERS) PRIME MINISTER'S HOUSE (*** FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY ***) PAKISTANI PRIME MINISTER SYED YOUSAF RAZA GILANI AND TURKISH PRIME MINISTER TAYYIP ERDOGAN WALKING/SHAKE HAND CLOSE OF HAND-SHAKE AND ZOOM OUT CLOSE OF PAKISTAN AND TURKISH FLAGS ON TABLE PAKISTANI PM GILANI AND TURKISH PM ERDOGAN IN ONE-ON-ONE MEETING GILANI ERDOGAN
- Embargoed: 10th November 2009 12:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Pakistan
- Country: Pakistan
- Topics: Domestic Politics
- Reuters ID: LVAD19KGC6OUAFNHH8X6F1ZEOB8I
- Story Text: Pakistan and Turkey on Sunday (October 25) vowed to jointly combat the "menace" of terrorism and have an "intensified cooperation" on political, diplomatic, security and military fields.
Pakistani security forces are battling Taliban militants in South Waziristan at the Afghan border.
The army assault in the ethnic Pashtun tribal region on the border with Afghanistan is seen as a test of the government's determination to tackle Islamists responsible for a string of attacks against government and other targets.
The campaign is being closely followed by the United States and other powers embroiled in Afghanistan's growing conflict who want Pakistan to eliminate militant sanctuaries in its lawless northwest.
Addressing a joint press conference after an exclusive and delegation level talks at the prime minister's house in Islamabad, Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani and his Turkish counterpart Tayyip Erdogan said they had an "excellent" interaction.
"On the issue of terrorism we have convergent views while condemning terrorism and extremism. Prime minister Erdogan and I reiterated our unwavering resolve. To defeat this menace that continues to claim scores of innocent lives," Gilani told the media.
"As the heads of the both administrations of the two countries, we are happy to see that both are already committed in order to create a joint platform to combat terrorism," said Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan.
About 150,000 people have fled their homes in South Waziristan but aid officials do not expect the exodus to become a humanitarian crisis, as did a similar offensive in the Swat valley this year.
While the army battles Taliban fighters in their strongholds, the militants have been attacking police and other targets in towns and cities.
In the latest attack, a suicide bomber detonated his explosives when police stopped his car at a motorway exit about 145 km (100 miles) east of the capital, Islamabad, for a search late on Saturday, a senior police officer said.
Pakistan and Turkey also signed a Joint Declaration reiterating resolve to bolster relations in areas of economy, trade, investment, agriculture, industry, culture, education, defence and people-to-people contacts.
Prime Minister Erdogan who is also heading a 80 member delegation of Turkish Chief Executive Officers to enable them interact with the Pakistani counterparts, said the trade volume between the two countries was very insignificant at only 741 million dollars.
Earlier, Pakistan accorded a warm welcome to the Turkish prime minister following his arrival in the capital Islamabad, accompanied by his wife and entourage.
National anthems of the two countries were played as the green and red flags of the two countries, both carrying the crescent and the star, fluttered with the beautiful Margalla hills in Islamabad in the backdrop.
Erdogan reviewed the guard of honour and was presented a salute by a contingent comprising the three services.
The Turkish prime minister will call on President Asif Ali Zardari and meet the Chairman Senate and Speaker National Assembly. The two prime ministers will also address a joint session of parliament, specially convened for Monday (October 26). - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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