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Summary President Asif Ali Zardari told NATO leaders that Pakistan aims to reach deal on supply routes.
The Pakistani government has ordered officials to reach a deal with the United States on reopening its border to NATO supply convoys, President Asif Ali Zardari told NATO leaders Monday.Pakistani officials have decided to direct the relevant officials to conclude negotiations for resumption of the Ground Lines of Communication, Zardari told a special summit focusing on Afghanistan.The supply routes were closed to NATO after a US air raid that killed 24 Pakistani soldiers in November.President Asif Ali Zardari has termed the American/NATO attack on Salala Camp as a big shock for Pakistan, and a heavy setback for its war against terrorism.Addressing the NATO conference in Chicago, he said that after this attack, a dire need to review any further cooperation with NATO was mulled.He further said that there was a complete consensus between all political parties over the issue of resumption of NATO supplies, while parliament had also evolved a Roadmap over the issue of relationship(s) with NATO.“The Parliament has declared its resolve to push out all terrorist elements from Pakistan’s soil, and the directives of Parliament would be adhered to”, he declared.“Mutual relations depend upon mutual respect, and Pakistan wants relationship with America on equality basis”, he stressed, adding that Pakistan wanted to play its due part for economic development of region, while also stressing joint struggle against ignorance, drugs, and poverty.“A stable, peaceful Afghanistan is in better interests of Pakistan, exactly what Pakistan aspires for” he stated, while also adding that allied forces would (have to) stay in Afghanistan, beyond 2014.He also stated that any conducive/meaningful peace in Afghanistan was possible with talks, unity between various Afghan groups, and also expressed his desire to stretch Afghan Transit Trade to Tajikistan and other nations.Assuring that being a member of global community, Pakistan had uniform goals and objectives, he also cited countless sacrifices Pakistan had made in its war against terrorism.President Zardari also announced U$.20 million allocation for assisting Afghan forces, out of which U$.5 million would be spent on weapons for national security, and U$. 150 million for weapons and training of Afghan forces.President Zardari also met his Turkish counterpart, President Abdullah Gul, and discussed matter of mutual and bilateral interest, besides the Afghanistan peace process.
