PM Abbasi, Erdogan agree on revival of Pak-Afghan-Turkey Trilateral process

NEW YORK: Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi met Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan agreed upon the revival of the Pakistan-Afghanistan-Turkey Trilateral process for promoting lasting peace and stability in Afghanistan on Tuesday.

The two leaders, who met today on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly Session in New York, agreed that a military solution wouldn’t establish peace and stability in Afghanistan. 

Both leaders agreed that efforts should continue for a regional approach for an internal political settlement in Afghanistan through an Afghan-owned and Afghan-led peace process.

Discussing the plight of Rohingya Muslims, President Erdogan and Prime Minister Abbasi urged the international community and the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation to take urgent measures to alleviate the suffering of these people.

The two leaders also had an in-depth exchange of views about the strengthening of bilateral relations. They also reviewed regional peace and security situation.

Abbasi said that the Pak-Turk relations are based on common faith, values, culture, history, mutual trust, and support. Linkages between the people of the two countries have transformed into a strategic partnership that is strengthening with each passing day, the PM said.

Appreciating the regular high-level exchanges between the two countries and the institutional interaction through the High-Level Strategic Cooperation Council, both the leaders expressed satisfaction over deepening of cooperation through political, defence, trade, and investment exchanges. 

The two leaders emphasized that Pakistan and Turkey should continue to give special attention to enhancing economic cooperation and work together for early finalization of the Free Trade Agreement for boosting the bilateral trade.

The prime minister said that Pakistan and Turkey extended support to each other on the issues of their vital national interests. He thanked the Turkish President for Turkey's unwavering support to the struggle of the people of Indian occupied Jammu and Kashmir.

President Erdogan appreciated the strengthening of the bilateral relations through concrete cooperation in various fields and the commonality of views between the two countries on key international and regional issues. He reaffirmed Turkey’s commitment for continued endeavours for the strengthening of the mutually beneficial strategic partnership.