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Islamabad: Within the framework of trilateral cooperation His Excellency Hamid Karzai President of Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, His Excellency Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, President of the Islamic Republic of Iran and His Excellency Asif Ali Zardari, President of Islamic Republic of Pakistan held the Third Trilateral Summit in Islamabad on 17 February 2012.
2. The three Presidents pledged to enhance cooperation among the countries comprehensively for realizing the shared aspiration of their peoples for peace, security, stability and economic prosperity.
3. The three Presidents stressed the need for implementation of the earlier decisions taken at the Trilateral Summits held at Tehran in May 2009 and June 2011 respectively. While underscoring that the three countries were bound by ties of history, geography, culture and religion, the three sides agreed as follows:
i. To develop framework of comprehensive cooperation and to take pragmatic steps for realizing mutually beneficial cooperation to promote stability, peace and shared prosperity.
ii. Ensure respect for sovereignty, independence, unity and territorial integrity, as enshrined in the UN Charter.
iii. To proceed on the basis of mutual interest, mutual respect, non interference and non intervention in internal affairs.
iv. Not to allow any threat emanating from their respective territories against each other. All parties agreed to commence trilateral consultations on an agreement in this regard.
v. Contribute to the development and reconstruction in Afghanistan.
vi. Broaden cooperation in the political, security, economic, cultural, social and educational fields and enhance people to people contacts including exchange visits of parliamentarians, academicians and journalists.
vii. Strengthen cooperation for eradicating extremism, terrorism and militancy and to address the root causes of these menaces, condemning the killings of civilians as well as any kind of assassinations.
viii. Cooperate in combating the problems of narcotic drugs production and trafficking and in combating transnational organized crimes.
ix. Prioritize cooperation for socio-economic development.
x. Enhance three-way trade by facilitation measures, including preferential tariff and free trade arrangements as well as barter trade.
xi. Also expressed commitment to expand trade in transit and encourage the private sector to invest in the three countries.
xii. Enhance connectivity by promoting project cooperation in infrastructure, road and rail links, transport and communications.
xiii. Develop mutually beneficial cooperation in the energy, mining and minerals, agriculture and other sectors.
xiv. Cooperate for the safe, voluntary and early return of Afghan refugees to their homeland in honour and dignity.
xv. Emphasized the need for enhancing their cooperation at international level, especially within the United Nations system.
xvi. Mandated the Foreign Ministers to prepare and coordinate a Road Map for Trilateral Cooperation for submission to the next Summit.
xvii. Also mandated the Interior/Security Ministers to develop a framework of trilateral cooperation particularly in the areas of counter terrorism, counter-narcotics and border management within six months.
xviii. Further mandated the Commerce Ministers to outline steps for enhancing three-way economic cooperation.
xix. Mandated senior officials (Deputy Foreign Minister level) to meet regularly to monitor the implementation of the decisions taken by the Trilateral Summits.
xx. Decided that the Fourth Trilateral Summit shall be held in Kabul by the end of 2012. The exact dates will be communicated through diplomatic channels.
4. Presidents of the Islamic Republic of Iran and the Islamic Republic of Pakistan reiterated their full support for an Afghan-led and Afghan-owned inclusive process of peace and reconciliation. They assured the President of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan that they would extend full cooperation and stressed that any initiative in this regard must have authentic Afghan ownership.
5. His Excellency Mahmood Ahmadinejad, President of the Islamic Republic of Iran and His Excellency Hamid Karzai, President of Islamic Republic of Afghanistan expressed profound gratitude to President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan for the warm hospitality extended to both delegations and for excellent arrangements made for the Third Trilateral Summit.
6. In witness whereof the Presidents of the three countries have signed this document.
7. Done in Islamabad on 17 February 2012 in three originals in English, Persian/Dari, all texts being equally authentic.
Hamid Karzai Mahmoud Ahmadinejad Asif Ali Zardari
President of I.R.of President of I.R.of President of I.R. of
Afghanistan Iran Pakistan
For more information, contact:
Syed Haider Ali Jafri
Personal Secretary
Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Government of Pakistan
Tel: +9251 921 0335 and 9056604