ANKARA, Dec. 4 (Xinhua) -- Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardali arrived late Thursday in Turkey's biggest city of Istanbul for a tripartite summit with his Turkish and Afghan counterparts, the semi-official Anatolia news agency reported.

    Zardali and Afghan President Hamid Karzai, who arrived in Istanbul earlier in the day, would hold talk in Istanbul on Friday in a bid to improve bilateral ties and boost cooperation, said the report.

    The summit, which would be hosted by Turkish President Abdullah Gul, is aimed to contribute to the region's stability and development by consolidating the solidarity between the three countries, said Turkish Presidential Office in a statement on Wednesday.

    Senior diplomats from the three countries met on Thursday in Istanbul as part of preparatory efforts, according to the report, adding that business people from the three countries also convened in Istanbul to discuss broader cooperation including joint projects.

    The forthcoming talk between leaders of Afghanistan and Pakistan is the second round sponsored by Turkey in an effort to bring the two troubled neighbors closer.