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Pakistan, Turkey vow to continue fighting terrorism | ASHARQ AL-AWSAT English Archive 2005 -2017
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ISLAMABAD, Pakistan (AP) – Diplomats from Pakistan and Turkey vowed Saturday to continue cooperating in the fight against global terrorism and to foster peace in Afghanistan.

Turkish Foreign Minister Ali Babacan and his Pakistani counterpart, Shah Mehmood Qureshi, spoke after talks in the capital, Islamabad.

Pakistan and Turkey are longtime allies and Babacan is scheduled to meet with President Pervez Musharraf and Prime Minister Syed Yousaf Raza Gilani during his two-day visit to Pakistan after arriving Friday night.

Babacan and Qureshi also discussed Afghanistan, where U.S.-led coalition forces have been fighting Taliban insurgents since their government was ousted after the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks on the United States.

Last year, Turkey arranged a meeting between Musharraf and Afghan President Hamid Karzai after Kabul blamed Islamabad for not doing enough to stop militants from entering Afghanistan from Pakistan.

On Saturday, Qureshi said Pakistan wants to see “peace and stability” in Afghanistan. He said officials from Turkey, Pakistan and Afghanistan might meet in June to discuss how to ensure peace there. He did not elaborate.

Earlier, Babacan said “terrorism is a global problem. “No country is immune from the terrorist acts,” he said. “What we need is international solidarity and cooperation to fight against terror and terrorists.”