Afghan and Pakistani leaders declare new era of cooperation after talks
Afghan and Pakistani leaders declare new era of cooperation, agreeing energy and economic deals they say will boost security in the region
Pakistan and Afghanistan pledged to begin a new era of economic cooperation yesterday, with Afghan President Ashraf Ghani saying three days of talks had ended 13 years of differences.
Ghani and Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif said collaboration on economic and energy issues would form the basis of better security in the troubled region as US-led Nato combat troops leave Afghanistan after more than a decade of fighting the Taliban.
The two countries have long endured testy relations, with former Afghan president Hamid Karzai regularly accusing Pakistan of supporting Taliban insurgents who were trying to overthrow his government.
Pakistan has accused Kabul of not doing enough to shut down bases on its soil for militants attacking Pakistani targets.
After talks between Ghani and Sharif yesterday, the two sides' finance ministers signed a deal aimed at more than doubling trade between the two countries to US$5 billion by 2017, as well as simplifying customs protocols.
"I want to welcome the enormous steps that have been taken in the last three days to achieve progress on the economy," Ghani said afterwards.
"We have overcome obstacles of 13 years in three days," he said in an apparent dig at the troubles of the Karzai era.