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Zardari stresses greater economic cooperation between Pakistan, Iran
INP
TEHRAN - Former president and Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Co-Chairman Asif Ali Zardari on Thursday called on Adviser to Iranian Prime Minister on Foreign Affairs Ali Akbar Wilayati and discussed matters of mutual interest with him
Zarari was in Tehran to participate in a two-day first international conference, titled “World against Violence and Extremism” (WAVE), organised by the Iranian Institute of Political and International Studies in the Iranian capital. The meeting was also attended by Pakistan’s Ambassador to Tehran Nur Muhammad Jadmani, PPP spokesperson Senator Farhatullah Babar and former Iranian ambassador MashaAllah Shakiri.
Talking to the Iranian adviser on foreign affairs, Zardari said that there was great potential to further enhance trade and economic relations and greater cooperation in the energy sector between the two countries.
He said that the two countries could mutually benefit from barter trade to ease the pressure on foreign exchange reserves, adding that surplus wheat could be exported to Iran from Sindh under the barter system in return for Iran’s cooperation for some infrastructure projects in the province and commodity imports from Iran.
Regional and international situations also came under discussion during the meeting. The PPP leader said that the Muslim World was confronted with the great challenge of fighting the militant mindset, adding that it could be fought comprehensively with regional cooperation, steadfastness and mounting a vigorous intellectual challenge to the militants’ narrative and interpretation of religion.
Zardari said that issues in border security between the two countries needed to be tackled through the multi-layered institutional mechanisms available for the purpose. The Iranian adviser on foreign affairs reciprocated the sentiments about deeper Pakistan-Iran relations. Later, Asif Ali Zardari left for Dubai.
Courtesy www.dailytimes.com.pk