ISLAMABAD, Nov 19: Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar declined on Monday to disclose various aspects of Pakistan’s Afghan reconciliation strategy, including the recent release of around a dozen Taliban leaders and a plan to free Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar — co-founder of the Taliban movement in Afghanistan.

“The reconciliation effort in Afghanistan has suffered from talking too much and doing nothing in the past,” she said, adding that Pakistan would do the opposite this time.

Addressing a press conference, primarily meant to discuss the D-8 Summit, she stressed the importance of confidentiality and refused to share even the number of Taliban released so far in the hope that they would help negotiate peace in Afghanistan. She, however, said Pakistan would do whatever it could for the sake of peace in the neighbouring country.

Answering a question about UN sanctions against Iran, the minister said Pakistan would abide by any international sanction approved by the United Nations. But, she added, any unilateral sanction would not be acceptable.

About the postponement of President Vladimir Putin’s visit, she said it was not a snub but a rescheduling. There are signs of deepening ties with Russia, she said and referred to President Asif Ali Zardari and Chief of Army Staff General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani’s visit to Moscow and Russian foreign minister’s tour of Islamabad. These demonstrate that relations between the two countries are growing. She described Russia as an important regional player and expressed satisfaction over Pakistan’s relations with that country.

She said Pakistan had different sets of ties with Russia and the United States and stressed the need for looking at things in their right perspective.

The foreign minister said President Zardari would inaugurate the D-8 summit on Thursday. Its major focus will be enhancing economic and trade cooperation among member states. She said the theme of the summit was ‘Democratic partnership for peace and prosperity’.

Presidents of Egypt, Indonesia, Iran and Nigeria, the prime minister of Turkey, the deputy prime minister of Malaysia and the adviser to the prime minister of Bangladesh will attend the summit.

Answering a question, Ms Khar said the prime minister of Bangladesh had not set any condition for attending the summit and had not sought an apology from Pakistan. She said according to the foreign minister of Bangladesh, the prime minister would not be able to come because she had been advised by her doctor to avoid travel due to an eye problem.

She said the summit would adopt the charter of the organisation which would be signed at a ceremony by the foreign ministers of member states in the presence of the heads of state and government. She said it would also adopt the Islamabad Declaration, 2012, reaffirming the resolve to make concerted efforts to meet the common challenges being faced by member countries.

Ms Khar said Egyptian President Mohammad Morsi would attend the summit despite worsening situation in Gaza and after the summit he would be on an official visit to Pakistan.

She said all issues, including trade and business, would be discussed in talks with Mr Morsi. Observing that the visit would open a new chapter in Pak-Egypt relations, she pointed out that this would be the first visit by an Egyptian president to Pakistan in 40 years. She described indigenous reach of democracy in Egypt as a good omen.

Answering a question, the minister expressed the hope that the preferential trade agreement between D-8 member states would be operationalised soon. Six of the eight countries had already ratified the agreement.

She said there was an issue pertaining to tariff line with Bangladesh which she hoped would be sorted out during the summit. Likewise, she said, there was a minor issue with Egypt which would also be resolved. She also hoped that visa regime between member states would also be operationalised soon.

She said the agenda of the summit primarily focused on economic matters and trade. Chiefs of central banks of member states were also meeting to explore opportunities to open branches of banks of one country in the other.