Meeting in Istanbul, group vows to continue supporting democratic Pakistan

Istanbul yesterday hosted a UN meeting in support of Pakistan's stability, as Islamabad seeks support from the international community to rehabilitate several of its regions used by the Taliban to fight NATO forces in Afghanistan, posing serious threats to stability. The second ministerial meeting of members of the Friends of Democratic Pakistan group (FoDP) took place in Istanbul's Ciragan Palace to facilitate international aid to help Pakistan protect its stability in the face of terrorist Taliban activity in the Malakand and Swat regions. The meeting was attended by delegates from 20 member countries as well as the UN, the European Commission, the European Union and other international institutions such as the World Bank, Asian Development Bank and Islamic Development Bank. Among those attending were the foreign ministers of Iran, Canada, Sweden, the United Arab Emirates and Richard Holbrooke, the US special envoy to Afghanistan and Pakistan. Speaking at the opening of the meeting, which aimed to provide assistance in the areas of education, health, energy, the economy and local administration while combating terrorism and promoting stability, Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu pledged that Turkey would continue assisting Pakistan in all areas. "We gathered here to support the Pakistani government and people," he said. "Nongovernmental organizations also give great assistance. We respect the efforts of the Pakistani government. It is working to boost its relations with Afghanistan and India as well as to establish a democratic future with the support of the international community." Davutoglu said that the Malakand project (a five-year plan to provide not only rehabilitation and reconstruction in Malakand but also to address the root causes of violence in Pakistan ) would be a good example for the country. "This project should be assisted by the Pakistani people," he said. "It is a good beginning, and such projects should be conducted in other regions of Pakistan." Davutoglu added, "I am hopeful that the Istanbul meetings will help carry the Friends of Democratic Pakistan [FoDP] process forward in a robust, concerted and concrete manner so that tangible results can be achieved to benefit the people of Pakistan." Also addressing the gathering, Pakistani Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi urged the international community to help his country's economic development, citing energy and agriculture as two sectors needing immediate attention. "There are countries around this table with powerful economies, and we think that they can come to Pakistan and play a major role in economic development," he said. Holbrooke, for his part, pledged US assistance to Pakistan to help tackle an energy crisis which leaves millions of Pakistanis without power each day. He said resolving the energy shortfall and improving Pakistan's economy are vital for ensuring long-term stability. While the main focus of assistance was combating terrorism and promoting stability in Pakistan, the meeting also discussed the results of a private sector meeting and pilot project for reconstruction in the Malakand region. A declaration was also issued calling for efforts to boost Pakistan's internal strength, create permanent partnerships, expand economic opportunities, and focus on developing Pakistan's energy sector.