Fars News Agency :: Zardari Renews Islamabad’s Readiness for Cooperation with Iran on Regional Peace

Addressing a joint press conference with his Iranian and Afghan counterparts Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and Hamid Karzai, Zardari stated that Pakistan’s relationship with brotherly countries cannot be undermined by international pressures of any kind. As regards Pakistan’s stance on Iran, he underscored that Pakistan would never provide Americans with an airbase to launch an attack on its neighbor. “Pakistan and Iran need each other and no foreign pressure can hinder their ties.” The joint statement signed by Ahmadinejad, Karzai and Zardari at the conclusion of their third trilateral summit in Islamabad on Friday showed that the three leaders are resolved to ensure respect for sovereignty, independence, unity and territorial integrity, as enshrined in the UN Charter. They agreed to commence a process of trilateral consultations for an agreement pledging not to allow any threat emanating from their respective territories against each other. The three leaders also agreed to broaden cooperation in political, security, economic, cultural, social and educational fields and enhance people-to-people contacts including exchange of visits among parliamentarians, academicians and journalists. They would strengthen cooperation on eradicating extremism, terrorism and militancy and to address the root causes of these menaces, condemning the killings of civilians as well as any kind of assassination.