President Asif Ali Zardari on Friday underlined the importance of Turkish investment in Pakistan and said that the government would take steps to remove bottlenecks in way of foreign investors. He expressed hope that regular service of Islamabad-Tehran-Istanbul freight train would greatly improve intra-regional co-operation and business opportunities, and called for its fast track completion.
He was talking to his Turkish counterpart, Abdullah Gul, who called on him ahead of Pakistan-Afghanistan-Turkey trilateral summit here, which started later in the afternoon. Zardari said that there was a vast potential for Turkish investors in Pakistan. Both countries should encourage their private sectors to collaborate closely in energy, infrastructure development, engineering, textiles, agriculture, telecommunications, mining and technology sectors, he added.
He stressed the need both for institutionalising co-operation with Iran and upgradation of rail and road links between the two countries. The President welcomed Turkish co-operation and investment in the urban mass-transport systems and low-cost housing sectors. Zardari told his Turkish counterpart that both countries share similarity of perceptions on a wide range of regional and international issues, and added that Pakistan is keen to take its relationship with Turkey to an unprecedented level.
He expressed satisfaction over the contacts between the two countries at the leadership levels. Zardari thanked Abdullah for his country's generous assistance to Pakistan at a time when the country was ravaged by worst flood in its history. He proposed an increase in the number of flights to mutually agreed destinations between the two countries. The President expressed satisfaction at the progress achieved within the framework of the Pakistan-Afghanistan-Turkey trilateral process.
The Turkish President called for strengthening and expanding of the ECO Bank by bringing more members of the organisation on its platform. He said that the member states of the ECO should try to resolve their problems by themselves. He invited President Zardari on a state visit to Turkey. Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi, Defence Minister Ahmed Mukhtar and Chairman of Board of Investment, Salim Mandviwala, and Pakistan's Ambassador in Turkey Tariq Azizuddin were also present.
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