Pakistan and Turkey have agreed to step up efforts to boost trade and co-operation in the defence industry field, the leaders of the two traditionally close countries said here on Wednesday after bilateral talks. "This visit is a turning point in our relations in terms of our desire to raise the level of co-operation between our countries," Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz told a joint news conference with Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan. The trade volume between Turkey and Pakistan should be increased to at least one billion dollars from the current level of 400 million dollars, he said.
"I have invited the Turkish business community to invest in Pakistan," he said adding, "Pakistan is open to business with very attractive opportunities for investment, for trade and for Turkish contractors to participate in our infrastructure development programmes."
Erdogan said the two sides also had the potential "to take many steps" to increase co-operation in the defence industry field, but did not elaborate what projects they discussed.
An aide to Erdogan said later that the two countries were considering the joint production of tanks, armoured personnel carriers and patrol boats, while Turkish company Aselsan was willing to sell the Pakistani army electronic warfare equipment.
Aziz also lent support to Turkish policies on the long-divided island of Cyprus, where the Turkish Cypriot community maintains a breakaway state, the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC), with financial and military backing from Ankara.
"Whatever steps Turkey has outlined and deems necessary on northern Cyprus, we have said that we support them without any reservations," Aziz said. "We are 100 percent with Turkey on this issue."
Ankara, the only country to recognise the TRNC, is seeking international support to break the isolation of the breakaway state.
It also advocates the resumption of peace talks between the Turkish Cypriots and the internationally recognised Greek Cypriot government to resolve the three-decade conflict, a major stumbling block for Ankara's bid to join the European Union.
Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz and his Turkish counterpart Tayyip Erdogan expressed commonality of views on regional and global issues as Turkey called for the resolution of decades-old Kashmir dispute "as soon as possible".
The two Prime Ministers told reporters that they discussed the entire gambit of bilateral relations and regional and international issues including Kashmir, Afghanistan, Iran, Middle East, proposed UN reforms and Cyprus.
"We believe that all approaches by Pakistan for peaceful resolution of the Kashmir issue are very positive, and we appreciate these approaches", the Turkish Prime Minister said.
He said, "Turkey fully supports Pakistan on Kashmir. This problem should be tackled as soon as possible. There should be no more bloodshed, no more loss of life." Erdogan called for a fair and just resolution of the dispute.
Shaukat Aziz said Pakistan was holding a composite dialogue with India to resolve all outstanding issues, including the issue of Jammu and Kashmir, in line with the aspirations of the Kashmiri people. The two Prime Ministers held one-on-one meeting for about 40 minutes before they headed their respective delegations at the formal talks.
They also witnessed signing of an agreement on science and technological co-operation by Law Minister Wasi Zafar and Turkish Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul.
Shaukat Aziz described the talks as very fruitful saying they discussed bilateral ties and issues of common concern facing the world and the Muslim Ummah. The two leaders also discussed cultural co-operation, an exchange of visits between the parliamentarians, increasing people-to-people contacts, etc.
Pakistan, Shaukat Aziz added, valued its relations with Turkey and its friendship was a source of strength for the country. He also appreciated Turkey's contribution for the stability of Afghanistan.
The two Prime Ministers discussed the Organisation of Islamic Conference (OIC) and agreed on the need of reinvigorating and re-positioning the 57-member grouping so that its voice is understood and heard all over the world.
Shaukat Aziz said Islam is a religion of peace, amity and harmony and stressed the need to project the religion in its true spirit. This, he added, needed to be done both at the individual as well as collective level.
Pakistan and Turkey have also agreed to increase air traffic between them to four with a desire to take the number to seven a week, and also to initiate a direct flight between Istanbul and Karachi. The two countries currently operate flights between Islamabad and Istanbul.
Shaukat Aziz said that apart from bilateral relations, the two countries were also tied together through the Economic Co-operation Organisation (ECO) and the OIC, and added that they were making efforts to make the two groupings effective and result-oriented.
Earlier, Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz was accorded a warm welcome at a formal ceremony held at the 'Prime Ministry Office' on Wednesday.
Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan received the Prime Minister on his arrival at the Office.
National anthems of the two countries were played. A smartly turned-out contingent of the Turkish armed forces presented a guard of honour.
The Turkish Prime Minister introduced his members of the Cabinet to Pakistani Prime Minister who also introduced members of the entourage to his counterpart.