ANKARA, Dec. 3 (Xinhua) -- Turkish Presidential Office said in a statement released on Wednesday that the leaders of Pakistan and Afghanistan would hold further talk in Istanbul on Friday to improve ties and boost cooperation.
The tripartite summit will be hosted by Turkish President Abdullah Gul, with attendance of President of Afghanistan Hamid Karzai and his Pakistani counterpart Asif Ali Zardali, said the statement.
The summit targets to contribute to the region's stability and development by consolidating the solidarity between the three countries, it said.
Pakistan's northwestern tribal regions became a stronghold for hundreds of extremists who fled Afghanistan after the U.S.-led invasion toppled the hardline Taliban regime in late 2001.
The United States and Afghanistan have been accusing Pakistan of failing to do enough to stop militants crossing the border to attack U.S. and NATO troops based in southern Afghanistan.
However, Islamabad rejects the claims, saying that the root of the problem is in Afghanistan.
Given its traditionally close ties with both Afghanistan and Pakistan, Turkey has been pushing for better ties between the two countries.
The upcoming talks between leaders of Afghanistan and Pakistan is the second round sponsored by Turkey in a effort to bring the two troubled neighbors closer.
On April 29, 2007, leaders of Afghanistan and Pakistan held fence-mending talks in Turkish capital city of Ankara and pledged to step up joint efforts against the Taliban.
The three parties released Ankara Declaration at the end of the meeting, with agreement reached by Pakistan and Afghanistan to enhance their relations on the basis of good neighborhood and respect to their territorial integrity.
As part of preparatory efforts, senior diplomats from the three countries will meet in Istanbul, Turkey's biggest city, on Thursday. Meanwhile, business people from the three countries will also convene in Istanbul to discuss broader cooperation, including joint projects.
