Turkish president holds joint press conference with Pakistani counterpart in Ankara

ANKARA (A.A) - 13.04.2011 - Turkish President Abdullah Gul said Wednesday that Turkey was interested in Afghanistan within a large frame.
Speaking at a joint press conference with his Pakistani counterpart Asif Ali Zardari in Ankara, President Gul said that Turkey would be involved in all activities that facilitated peace in Afghanistan.
Answering a question of a Pakistani journalist on how Turkey could help Pakistan reach European markets, Gul said that Turkey had a Customs Union deal with the European Union (EU).
"Pakistan can benefit from Turkey in its relations with Europe. All investments made in Turkey and relevant goods could be sent to the EU without facing customs charges," Gul stressed.
At the same time, investments made by Turkish companies in Pakistan are crucial. Many Turkish companies have invested in the textiles sector of Pakistan. Turkish companies can help Pakistan export textile products, Gul said.
In response to a question on the Taliban and its planned office in Turkey, Gul said that Turkey and Pakistan made great efforts for stability and normalization in Afghanistan.
As Pakistan and Afghanistan share a border, their relations are much different and deeper. Turkey tries to help Afghanistan as a politically, historically and culturally close country, Gul said.
Turkey has the command of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in Afghanistan. Aside from military contributions, Turkey makes great contributions to Afghanistan in health, education and economic spheres, Gul said.
Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari said Wednesday that "the 21st century would be the century of Asia".
Speaking at a joint press conference with Turkish President Abdullah Gul in Ankara on Wednesday, Zardari said that Turkey and Pakistan would benefit from the opportunities that the 21st century presents.
President Gul and I support each other in all diplomatic activities. Our brotherhood reflects on our peoples, Zardari said.
I have visited Turkey many times as a statesman and tourist. Whenever I come to Turkey, I feel at home, Zardari said.
Our two countries have great economic potential. We are working within a win-win principle for the future generations, Zardari said.
I believe that this would be the century of Asia. Turkey and Pakistan will jointly make use of the opportunities that this century would provide. We are not here to make headlines but rather make history, Zardari said.
Touching on the restoration of a railway between Turkey and Pakistan, President Zardari said that the railway would connect Pakistan with Central Asia and London. We have named this train "Gul Train" and such a name shows where the thought came from, Zardari said.
Expressing his happiness for being in Turkey, President Zardari said that Turkey was a crucial friend of Pakistan.
You will always find us by yourself in case of a natural disaster, Zardari said.
In regard to Afghanistan, President Zardari said that they supported all attempts that would carry Afghanistan to peace.
We will support dialogue in Afghanistan at every stage, Zardari also said.
"One Nation - Two States" is the phrase that best describes the relations between Turkey and Pakistan. The people of both countries have brotherly relations which date back to centuries. These relations have been traditionally strong. Relations between Pakistan and Turkey are exemplary. Both nations maintain extensive cultural, commercial, strategic and military cooperation. Both countries have a deep bond of brotherhood.
Moreover, Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan has called Pakistan his second home. Both Turkey and Pakistan are Muslim-majority states and share extensive cultural and geopolitical links. The former President of Pakistan Pervez Musharraf, who spent part of his childhood in Turkey, expressed a desire to develop Pakistan on the Turkish model of modernism and secularism. In spite of the geographical distance and the clear economic and social differences between two countries, Turks have always loved the Pakistanis and Pakistanis have always loved Turks. Pakistanis have always been called "brothers" in Turkey.
Pakistan has an embassy in Ankara, a consulate-general in Istanbul and an honorary consulate in Izmir whereas, Turkey has an embassy in Islamabad, a consulate-general in Karachi and honorary consulates in Lahore, Peshawar, Sialkot and Faisalabad.
Turkey and Pakistan are founding members of the Economic Cooperation Organization and part of the Developing 8 Countries (D-8) organization.
Pakistani exports include rice, sesame seeds, leather, textiles, fabrics, sports goods, and medical equipment. Turkey's exports to Pakistan include wheat, chickpeas, lentils, diesel, chemicals, transport vehicles, machinery and energy products.
Turkish President Abdullah Gul said Wednesday that their wish was to realize economic cooperation with Pakistan as good as the political relations between the two countries.
Speaking at a joint press conference with his Pakistani counterpart Asif Ali Zardari in Ankara on Wednesday, Gul said that he was very pleased to host Zardari and his delegation in Ankara.
Friendship between Turkey and Pakistan was not merely one at the official level but one that existed sincerely between the peoples of the two countries, Gul said.
We have welcomed Zardari to his home. I myself feel at home when I visit Pakistan, Gul said.
We meet with President Zardari often and he has come to Turkey several times. His first formal visit to Turkey took place today (Wednesday). As part of his visit, I will decorate President Zardari with a Turkish State Medal on Wednesday evening, Gul said.
Our tete-a-tete meeting and meeting between respective delegations were fruitful. We went over bilateral relations. Our wish is to realize economic cooperation with Pakistan that are as good as our political relations, Gul said.
We are issuing directives to boost mutual trade and investments. We have come a long way in economic relations, Gul said.
We aim at increasing the trade volume between Turkey and Pakistan to 2 billion USD by 2012. We hope that Turkish businesspeople would make investments in infrastructure projects of Pakistan, Gul said.
During the meeting between the delegations, we focused on regional issues. We pay high attention to the trilateral meetings between Turkey, Pakistan and Afghanistan. As a result of such trilateral meetings, the armed forces of the three countries held a joint military exercise for the first time in Istanbul, Gul said.
Following the meeting between the delegations, the Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Turkey (TOBB) made a presentation. President Zardari is leading efforts to revive the railway between Turkey and Pakistan. We will carry cargoes and not passengers on the Turkish-Pakistani railway, Gul said.
We want to reduce the duration of train trips from Istanbul to Islamabad to 10 days, Gul said.
When the duration of the trip gets reduced, it will become economically attractive and Iran would also benefit from such a railway. When the railway gets completed, Islamabad would be connected to London. This implies that Pakistan could make easier exports to Europe, Gul also said.
"One Nation - Two States" is the phrase that best describes the relations between Turkey and Pakistan. The people of both countries have brotherly relations which date back to centuries. These relations have been traditionally strong. Relations between Pakistan and Turkey are exemplary. Both nations maintain extensive cultural, commercial, strategic and military cooperation. Both countries have a deep bond of brotherhood.
Moreover, Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan has called Pakistan his second home. Both Turkey and Pakistan are Muslim-majority states and share extensive cultural and geopolitical links. The former President of Pakistan Pervez Musharraf, who spent part of his childhood in Turkey, expressed a desire to develop Pakistan on the Turkish model of modernism and secularism. In spite of the geographical distance and the clear economic and social differences between two countries, Turks have always loved the Pakistanis and Pakistanis have always loved Turks. Pakistanis have always been called "brothers" in Turkey.
Pakistan has an embassy in Ankara, a consulate-general in Istanbul and an honorary consulate in Izmir whereas, Turkey has an embassy in Islamabad, a consulate-general in Karachi and honorary consulates in Lahore, Peshawar, Sialkot and Faisalabad.
Turkey and Pakistan are founding members of the Economic Cooperation Organization and part of the Developing 8 Countries (D-8) organization.
Pakistani exports include rice, sesame seeds, leather, textiles, fabrics, sports goods, and medical equipment. Turkey's exports to Pakistan include wheat, chickpeas, lentils, diesel, chemicals, transport vehicles, machinery and energy products.