ONBOARD SPECIAL AIRCRAFT, May 14: Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz on Sunday foresaw increased cooperation among D-8 countries in defence, security and economic fields after its summit on Indonesia’s resort island of Bali.

Earlier, he held a trilateral meeting with his Turkish counterpart and the Iranian president to discuss proposals for lowering tension in the region.

Mr Aziz who represented Pakistan at the Developing Eight (D-8) Summit on Saturday said it was a very important meeting as the grouping comprised the eight most populous countries of the Muslim ummat.

Besides Pakistan and host Indonesia, the fifth D-8 summit was attended by Malaysian Prime Minister Ahmed Abdullah Badawi, Nigerian President Oslesegun Obsanjo, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and Turkish Prime Minister Tecep Tayyip Erdogan. The other two members, Egypt and Bangladesh, were represented by their ministers.

Prime Minister Aziz described establishment of D-8 secretariat in Istanbul and appointment of its secretary-general as an important outcome of the meeting.

“Decisions were made to increase cooperation in the areas of trade, investment, security, defence, people to people contact, education, science and technology,” he told the accompanying journalists while flying back home.

The prime minister hailed the signing of the Preferential Trade Agreement and Multilateral Agreement on Administrative Assistance in Customs Matters, saying they would reduce tariffs on agreed products and lead to more private sector contact.

He said his discussion with the Turkish and Iranian leaders focussed on sharing best practices in their countries, learning from each other and working to improve linkages and inter-dependencies for enhancing cooperation.

The D-8 leaders also had a retreat meeting which provided them an opportunity to discuss an open agenda in a frank atmosphere without their ministers and aides.

“We held frank discussion on all major issues confronting the Muslim ummat and the world,” the prime minister said.

Mr Aziz also held bilateral meetings with the Indonesian president and the Malaysian premier.

“The most significant meeting … was the trilateral meeting to discuss individual relations and how we three can work together,” he said.

“We discussed how we can lower tension in the region, how we can promote the cause of peace, how we can cooperate more on trade, transport, energy and security,” he added.

The prime minister said he discussed the proposed Iran-Pakistan gas pipeline project and other energy initiatives like buying electricity from each other.

He expressed the hope that the D-8 summit would strengthen the ummat and the OIC.—-APP