President Zardari to attend Chicago summit; confirms foreign office

President Zardari to attend Chicago summit; confirms foreign office

Islamabad: (Thursday, May 17, 2012) President Asif Ali Zardari will represent Pakistan in the Chicago Summit organized by NATO, confirmed Pakistan foreign office today. The summit, which is to commence later this month, will mull
over future of Afghanistan post NATO withdrawal.

According to the foreign ministry, Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar would also accompany Zardari to Chicago.

The cabinet meeting yesterday welcomed the last-minute NATO invitation to the president, clearing the way for Pakistan to mark its presence in the event after Islamabad boycotted the last major talks on Afghanistan in Bonn last
December over US air strikes that rendered over 24 Pakistani soldiers martyred.

After marking its presence in the Chicago summit, Islamabad expects to ease its international isolation and boost its leverage on Afghanistan’s future as Western countries plan to pull out of the country by 2014.

In return to the invitation to Chicago summit, Pakistan is expected to lift a six-month blockade on NATO supplies. According to the news, the opening is currently in process as negations with the US over logistics and fees are
still going on.

Yesterday, the government ordered the officials engaged in the negotiations process with the US to finalize an agreement as quickly as possible, so that thousands of trucks and oil tankers could head towards the land-locked Afghanistan
from Karachi.

Sources that have access to the inside information claim that the transit fees for the vehicles are the main sticking point and the border will probably reopen by early next week.

Short URL: https://www.newspakistan.pk/?p=22638

Posted by Fayyaz Yaseen on May 17 2012. Filed under Pakistan. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry