ID :
77047
Wed, 08/26/2009 - 16:36
Auther :

-TURKEY EXPRESSES SUPPORT FOR PAKISTAN

-TURKEY EXPRESSES SUPPORT FOR PAKISTAN

ISTANBUL (A.A) - 25.08.2009 - Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said Tuesday Turkish government was ready to support Pakistan on energy projects and public-private sector cooperation.
Speaking at the closing session of the ministerial meeting of the Friends of Democratic Pakistan (FoDP) held in Istanbul, Davutoglu expressed support for the people of Pakistan and said, "we are investing in their prosperous future."
"We have confidence in Pakistan's potential and we believe Pakistan will thrive," Davutoglu said.
Davutoglu said participant countries reaffirmed their will to help Pakistan and its people, adding that Istanbul meeting indicated strong solidarity between Pakistan and the international community.
However, he said, "solutions to secure support from the people of Pakistan should be in line with the facts of the region."
"Members of FoDP are working in a spirit of solidarity. Troubles and problems of Pakistan are our common problems. Prosperity and development of Pakistan is our goal," he said.
Davutoglu also said FoDP process has come to a level that specific projects could be put into practice. 
"Turkey and other countries laid stress on implementation of Malakand project," he said.
The FoDP was launched in New York in September 2008 on the sidelines of a United Nations General Assembly Session. The founding member states of FoDP included the United Kingdom, France, Germany, the United States, China, the United Arab Emirates, Canada, Turkey, Australia and Italy plus the United Nations and the European Union. 
The Istanbul meeting aimed to provide assistance to the Islamabad government in the fields of education, health, energy, economy and local administration. While the main focus of assistance was the fight against terrorism and stability in Pakistan, the ministerial level meeting also discussed results of the private sector meeting and a pilot project for reconstruction of Malakand region in Pakistan.
Earlier in the day, Pakistani Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi said Pakistan expected donors to fulfill their pledges made in Tokyo in April 2009. Pakistan secured over 5 billion USD in financial assistance in Tokyo donors' meeting in response to a humanitarian crisis after fighting between the military and Taliban.
Turkey pledged 100 million USD in assistance and granted 10 million so far. Remaining part would be extended on project-basis program, sources said.

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