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Russia moots mechanism with Afghanistan, Pakistan

YEKATERINBURG: Russia has set up a trilateral mechanism with Afghanistan and Pakistan to help resolve the problem of terrorism in the tribal zone.

“We have instituted a trilateral format because the problem of Afghanistan cannot be dealt with outside the context of the overall situation in the region,” said Russian President Dmitry Medvedev after meeting the leaders of Pakistan and Afghanistan on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit in Yekaterinburg.

“This problem cannot be resolved without normalising the situation in several Pakistani provinces and without destroying the terrorist dens there,” Mr. Medvedev told a press conference in Yekaterinburg on Tuesday.

“It is only through collective efforts that we can deal with many issues, first of all the complex challenges of terrorism and crime. If we manage to create an efficient, workable trilateral mechanism, it will benefit our nations and help accomplish the tasks we are facing,” said Mr. Medvedev, opening the three-way meeting with Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari and his Afghan counterpart Hamid Karzai.

Mr. Zardari and Mr. Karzai both welcomed the Russian initiative for trilateral interaction, which Mr. Medvedev described as a “very promising” format.

“I can assure you that Afghanistan will be a hands-on partner in this very timely undertaking,” said Mr. Karzai.

Mr. Zardari pledged to work in trilateral format in order to “combat the cancerous tumour of terrorism.”

Earlier Mr. Medvedev had bilateral meetings with the leaders of Pakistan and Afghanistan.

He wished Mr. Zardari “success in combating the horrible evil of terrorism” and called for the developement of “full-fledged economic and cultural ties” with Pakistan.

Mr. Medvedev wished success to Mr. Karzai in the upcoming presidential elections and said Russia was interested in Afghanistan creating a “modern political system.”

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