By Yehonathan Tommer
ISTANBUL – Turkey, Afghanistan and Pakistan will hold a joint military exercise in March 2011, following a decision by the leaders of the three countries at the trilateral summit of Central Asian countries in Istanbul on Friday.
Security cooperation among the three countries will focus on joint military drills, the fight against terrorism and drug trafficking and a joint program on police cooperation, according to a report by the Turkish Hürriyet Daily News.
The leaders further decided to establish infrastructure for audiovisual conferences and a natural disaster emergency operation centre.
Afghanistan also asked for Turkish technical assistance to increase its project development capacity.
“Development (of our countries) is a strategic tool to maintain peace, stability and serenity,” Turkish President Abdullah Gül said at the Summit opening.
It was important for the three countries to provide a positive environment for private investment and to strengthen cooperation in the fields of air transportation, commerce and energy.
The leaders also agreed to launch an “ideas platform” to increase research, academic and media cooperation between the peoples of Turkey, Afghanistan and Pakistan and to strengthen their historic, mutual friendship.
via Turkey, Afghanistan and Pakistan to hold joint military exercise | VANCOUVERITE.