http://www.hindustantimes.com/StoryPage/StoryPage.aspx?sectionName=HomePage&id=ee152933-a1fb-4964-936c-91da279db7f7&Headline=Pakistan%2c+Iran%2c+Afghanistan+pledge+to+eliminate+terrorism
Pakistan, Iran, Afghanistan pledge to eliminate terrorism Indo-Asian News Service Tehran, May 25, 2009 First Published: 10:48 IST(25/5/2009) Last Updated: 10:51 IST(25/5/2009) Pakistan, Iran and Afghanistan at a trilateral summit in Tehran on Sunday reaffirmed their commitment to eliminate terrorism from the region and agreed to hold regular consultations on important matters between the three countries. Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmedinejad and Afghan President Hamid Karzai attended the one-day summit hosted by Tehran. In a joint statement after the summit, the leaders pledged to address the root cause of terrorism and extremism, "which are in stark contrast with the spirit of Islam and the rich cultural traditions of the region", the Associated Press of Pakistan (APP) reported. The leaders also agreed to establish a mechanism for holding regular consultations on important issues. "We have to get together to tackle these challenges. It is not just the matter of our survival, but for the betterment and safety of our future generations," APP quoted Zardari as saying while addressing the first trilateral summit of the three countries. "We can tackle every challenge and achieve progress by getting together," the president maintained. Visits by parliamentary delegates, intellectuals and academicians to each other's country as well as people to people contact will be encouraged. The countries will also collaborate against drugs and arms smuggling in the region, the report said. A joint investment fund will be created to initiate various developmental projects in the region. Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmedinejad and Afghan President Hamid Karzai also addressed the summit, which deliberated on ways and means to effectively tackle the security challenges facing the region. Iran and Afghanistan also accepted Zardari's invitation to hold the next trilateral summit in Islamabad, the dates for which will be finalised through mutual consultation.
