Istanbul to host UN meeting, in support of Pakistan's stability

Istanbul is set to host a high-level meeting of members of the Friends of Democratic Pakistanb group (FoDP), which was launched in New York last year on the sidelines of a United Nations General Assembly session, in early next week. The founding member states of the FoDP include the UK, France, Germany, the US, China, the United Arab Emirates, Canada, Turkey, Australia and Italy plus the UN and the European Union. The Istanbul meeting aims to provide assistance to the Islamabad government in the fields of education, health, energy, economy and local administration while the main focus of assistance will be the fight against terrorism and the eventual maintenance of stability in Pakistan. A total of 20 member states and six international organizations are expected to be represented at the gathering. Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu and his Pakistani counterpart, Shah Mehmood Qureshi are scheduled to visit the Central Anatolian city of Konya following their participation in the meeting. The Turkish Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges (TOBB) and the Foreign Economic Relations Board (DEIK) will jointly host a private sector meeting as part of the FoDP summit as well. More than 10 private companies from Pakistan will attend this meeting. Recalling the intense Turkish private sector activity in Pakistan, diplomatic sources highlight that such a private sector gathering will be important for encouraging investments, which will make a contribution to stability in Pakistan.