Afghanistan and its neighbours must launch a regional campaign against terrorism in order to make the most of their natural resources and develop trade, President Hamid Karzai said on Saturday. Karzai was addressing the final session of a conference of the Economic Co-operation Organisation (ECO), a 10-nation group which was founded by Iran, Turkey and Pakistan.
"Our homelands are resourceful homelands. We have abundant resources and our people are thirsty for progress," Karzai said, adding economic development would help bring stability. "Terrorism, drugs...and organised crime...form our difficulties and are the main block to regional development."
He emphasised terrorism was the most serious obstacle. "And this (development) will not be possible if we do not isolate the handful of terrorists wherever they are and organise ... a joint campaign against them." During the four-day conference, ECO representatives discussed investment, transit and transport facilitation, energy, trade, exploration as well as export of gas and oil.