March, 24 2005	Thursday	13 Safar 1426

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ISLAMABAD, March 23: Afghan President Hamid Karzai and Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz on Wednesday held talks on bilateral matters, regional situation, and cooperation in war on terror and measures to boost trade between the two countries. They expressed satisfaction over the progress of relations.

Earlier, soon after his arrival on Tuesday, the visiting Afghan president held a comprehensive round of talks with President General Pervez Musharraf.

Before arriving at the prime minister’s house, Mr Karzai witnessed Pakistan Day parade as chief guest.

Both the countries signed five agreements and a protocol to enhance cooperation in the areas of culture, media, tourism and launching a bus service between the two countries.

The two leaders held a half an hour one-on-one meeting followed by a round of delegation-level talks at the Prime Minister’s House. They discussed bilateral matters, regional situation with particular reference to the Pakistan-India composite dialogue, and strengthening of cooperation in their war on terrorism.

They expressed their earnest desire to enhance their bilateral trade volume, which had reached up to $one billion per annum. They stressed the need of exploring more areas of cooperation in bilateral trade.

In a brief statement at the end of talks with Mr Karzai, Prime Minister Aziz said both the countries were closely engaged in discussion on Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan gas pipeline project and had stressed the need of having an energy corridor through Afghanistan.

He told media: “We talked about a host of issues and explored ways to re-energize the Economic Cooperation Organisation (ECO) and the role Afghanistan could play in the regional grouping.”

The talks, he said, encompassed measures to further boosting ties by enhancing trade and economic cooperation.

Reciprocating prime minister’s sentiments, President Karzai said the strong friendly ties between the two countries would further be cemented by increasing people-to-people interaction and frequent exchanges.

He said people-to-people contacts were moving ahead at a speed, which was hard even for the two governments to catch up with and were going to benefit the people of the two countries.

He also appreciated the hospitality extended to him by the government and people of Pakistan during his fourth bilateral visit to Islamabad.

Earlier, Prime Minister Aziz and Afghan President Karzai witnessed the signing ceremony.

One of the five pacts signed relates to plying bus service between Peshawar-Torkham-Jalalabad in the NWFP and Kandahar and Quetta in Balochistan.

A protocol was signed by Foreign Minister Khurshid Mehmood Kasuri and his Afghan counterpart Dr Abdullah Abdullah on regular consultations between the ministries of foreign affairs.

Three more agreements were signed in the areas of information, broadcasting, culture and tourism respectively by ministers Sheikh Rashid Ahmed, Ajmal Khan and Dr Ghazi Gulab Jamal and their Afghan counterparts.