LOC19:55
16:55 GMT
KUN0069 4 GEN 0271 KUWAIT /KUNA-SVV3
POL-LD MUSHARRAF-KABUL-VISI
Pakistan-Afghanistan to increase cooperation in fight against terrorism
ISLAMABAD Nov 6 (KUNA) - President General Pervez Musharraf
Saturday congratulated his Afghan counterpart, Hamid Karzai, on his
election as the first elected president of Afghanistan and urged to
increase cooperation in fight against terrorism to win it, state-run
media report said.
President Musharraf Saturday arrived in Kabul on a one-day visit,
accompanied by Governors of NWFP Lt. Gen (Retd) Syed Iftikhar Hussein
Shah, Balochistan Governor Awais Ghani, Foreign Minister Khursihd M.
Kasuri, Interior Minister Aftab Ahmed Sherpao, Minister for Tourism
Ghazi Jamal Ghulab and Deputy Chairman Senate Khalil-ur-Rehman and
Pakistan's Ambassador in Kabul.
He was given a warm welcome at the Kabul airport. A contingent of the
Afghan army presented a guard of honor and national anthems of the
two countries were played.
While addressing a joint news conference with Afghan President Hamid
Karzai at the Presidential Palace here, President Musharraf said
Pakistan and Afghanistan will have to succeed in the fight against
terrorism and they are together in this war, said Pakistan Television
(PTV).
He said the success of fighting terrorism in Afghanistan is Pakistan
success and Pakistan's success against terrorism is Afghanistan's
success.
He made it clear that both countries will fight against terrorism
offensively and cooperate in all manners to succeed. He said
Pakistan is succeeding in the fight against terrorism and there is
tremendous cooperation from within the country.
-- He emphasized the need for cooperation between Pakistan
and Afghanistan in intelligence and other fields in locating and
identifying areas of terrorists hideouts.
Congratulating President Hamid Karzai on his election, General Pervez
Musharraf said that relationship between Pakistan and Afghanistan in
political, economic, trade, reconstruction and fight against
terrorism would flourish in the future.
He said, "Holding of elections in Afghanistan augurs well not only
for Afghanistan but for the region and Pakistan." He commended
vision and democratic values of the people of Afghanistan for voting
heavily in the elections.
The President said the destinies of Pakistan and Afghanistan are
inter-linked and there is no doubt that the two countries have
historical, cultural, religious and geographical linkages.
He said the two countries as sovereign states would respect the
sovereign equality of each other. Pakistan looks forward to the
relationship of economic, commercial and trade benefits between the
two countries. He added while Pakistan provides sea linkages to
Afghanistan with the rest of the world, Afghanistan provides land
linkages to Pakistan for Central Asian Republics.
Referring to Pakistan's role in reconstruction of Afghanistan,
General Pervez Musharraf said Pakistan would contribute in any form
possible. It had already pledged 100 million dollars for
reconstruction of Afghanistan and a substantial amount from it has
already been consumed. In this connection, he referred to
construction of Toorkhum-Jalalabad road link and Chaman-Kandahar rail
link between the two countries.
He also offered to increase other facilities available in Pakistan
like scholarships to students and training facilities to Afghanistan
officials.
-- He said Pakistan is ready to provide electricity to
border areas of Afghanistan. It will construct academic blocks in
universities of Kabul, Jalalabad and IT block and artificial limb
centre at Mazar-e-Sharif.
The Afghan President Hamid Karzai praised Pakistan's role for smooth
and peaceful elections in Afghanistan and facilitating Afghanistan
refugees to cast their votes.
"Afghanistan's foreign policy would lay a lot of emphasis on closer
ties with neighboring countries especially with Pakistan. This
cooperation would increase to the benefit of the two countries and
the region," Karzai said.
President Musharraf also offered membership of South Asian
Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC), saying, "Pakistan would
be pleased if Afghanistan applies for the membership of SAARC". He
said Pakistan will look at it very positively but for this purpose,
support of other SAARC members is necessary. President Karzai said
Afghanistan would like to be part of SAARC.
In reply to a question about cross-border infiltration, Pervez
Musharraf said Pakistan acted positively and blocked routes and roads
through army and frontier constabulary "so that there is no
interference by the terrorists from Pakistan side."
Earlier President General Pervez Musharraf and Afghan President Hamid
Karzai held wide-ranging talks in Kabul to expand relations in
economic and commercial fields, PTV said.
Both the Presidents during bilateral talks discussed a wide range of
issues including bilateral relations with focus on economic and trade
ties between the two countries, reconstruction of Afghanistan and
regional situation.
- It added that President General Pervez Musharraf also
had a separate meeting with the former Afghan King Zahir Shah in
Kabul. The President remained with him for some time and enquired
about his health.
The surprise visit, though government officials here said it was
pre-planned, of President Musharraf to Kabul comes two days before
the visit of, Richard Armitage, the US Deputy Secretary.
Armitage is will arrive in Islamabad on Monday to hold terror talks
with President Gen Pervez Musharraf. (end)
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