Jigs
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Wednesday, December 22, 2010
SERKAN DEMİRTAŞ
ANKARA - Hürriyet Daily News
A train named after the Turkish president may soon transport cargo at high speeds between Turkey and Pakistan, opening both countries up to large European and Asian markets, the Pakistani president has said.
There is a need for an upgrade of the railway line connecting Pakistan to Turkey. We would like to start a high-speed cargo train between Pakistan and Turkey, Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari told the Hürriyet Daily News & Economic Review on Tuesday in a written interview.
The upgrading of the existing rail link will cut the travel time between the two countries, he added. It will open up vast European and Asian markets to the benefit not only of Pakistan and Turkey but also of all people in the region.
Zardari, who is in Turkey to attend the Economic Cooperation Organization summit taking place in Istanbul from Wednesday to Friday, even has a name picked out for the planned train. I would suggest that the train may be named after the Turkish president as the Gül Train, he wrote.
The Pakistani president will also join the Turkey-Pakistan-Afghanistan trilateral summit this weekend, following the recent signing of 17 agreements to further boost political, security, economic, educational and cultural cooperation between Ankara and Islamabad. The two countries also agreed to set up joint working groups in the fields of finance and banking, trade, railways and communications, energy, education and culture and tourism.
The tremendous goodwill between the two countries is now poised to be transformed into [a] much closer strategic partnership. Practical steps that will follow include joint ventures for the development of infrastructure [in the] fields of energy, agriculture, industry and [the] facilitation of corporate sector interaction, Zardari told the Daily News.
Both Pakistan and Turkey are currently undertaking projects to upgrade their communications and transport systems, including creating an Islamabad-Istanbul rail link and regular cargo service; bolstering air links, in part by increasing the frequency and destinations of flights; and improving maritime cooperation and shipping links.
Gratitude for Turkish help
Already-developing relations between the countries became even closer following this summers devastating floods in Pakistan. Turkey was the largest donor of aid to the flood-hit country, where the disaster killed thousands of people and left millions homeless.
Let me express our profound gratitude to the people and leadership of Turkey for their extraordinary and selfless support and solidarity to the people of Pakistan during the flood disaster. The spirit and zeal with which every Turk provided assistance has no parallel, Zardari said. He added that he had visited a Turkish hospital built for the flood victims in Balochistan one of many hospitals, schools and homes built with the Turkish aid money and was greatly impressed.
I also commend the positive role of the Turkish media in general, and the Doğan Media Group in particular, in galvanizing public support, the Pakistani president said. The Daily News is a Doğan Media Group publication.
No overnight solution to terror
In the interview, Zardari also commented on Pakistans struggle to deal with extremists and terrorists who cause unrest within the country, particularly on its border with Afghanistan, where the United States regularly conducts operations.
The fight against militancy is a long battle and will not end overnight. We therefore need to continue mutual cooperation in the fight against militancy and also continually review it for ... regional and world peace and stability, Zardari said. The president underscored the fact that Pakistan has evolved a national consensus for countering terrorism and extremism and developed a 3 Ds strategy to address the problem Dialogue, Development and Deterrence and added that the country has offered dialogue and amnesty to all who agree to lay down their arms and renounce violence.
We have undertaken development projects and are building schools, hospitals and roads, he said. At the same time, our armed forces and law-enforcement agencies, backed by popular support and democratic legitimacy, are fighting the hard-core terrorists and extremists.
Pakistan uneasy about US drone attacks
Despite its close ties and cooperation with the United States, however, Zardari said Pakistan feels uneasy about the U.S. militarys drone attacks in its territory.
Pakistan has asked that drone technology be given to it for use against militants. Drones operated by Pakistani security personnel under the Pakistani flag will be acceptable, but drones operated by foreign forces under a foreign flag are viewed as an intrusion of sovereignty and deeply resented by the people and therefore counter-productive, he said.
While both the United States and NATO leadership apologized for recent incursions, drone attacks are still continuing, Zardari added. We consider this to be counter-productive and against our sovereignty. Such incidents negatively impact Pakistani public opinion.
The president underlined that ridding Pakistani society and the region of terrorism and extremism is a top priority, calling his country a frontline state in this global fight and expressing his satisfaction with the ongoing cooperation with Turkey in the fight against terrorism. I am grateful to the leadership of Turkey for its steadfast support of Pakistan in the fight against terrorism. Pakistan and Turkey are both victims of terrorism, he said. Zardari added that the countries relevant institutions closely cooperate to share intelligence, build capacity and train security officials.
Pakistans president calls for better schools to fight extremism
ANKARA - Hürriyet Daily News
Religious education in Pakistans madrassas needs to be reformed and brought up to the same level as any other modern school in order to fight extremism, the countrys president has said.
We need international assistance in the education sector. Substantial financial support is needed to set up educational institutes that serve as alternatives to radical madrassas in parts of the country that promote a militant mindset and taught extremism, Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari said.
Saying that these radical schools were created by very intelligent minds as an ideological monster for strategic military purposes, he said the schools needed to be countered with better schools and colleges.
I value the Turkish contribution in this sector in the form of Pak-Turk schools and believe this will benefit Pakistan, and thus help in realizing our vision of Education for All, Zardari said. These schools substantiate our close mutual cooperation in vital fields such as education, information and culture.
SERKAN DEMİRTAŞ
ANKARA - Hürriyet Daily News
A train named after the Turkish president may soon transport cargo at high speeds between Turkey and Pakistan, opening both countries up to large European and Asian markets, the Pakistani president has said.
There is a need for an upgrade of the railway line connecting Pakistan to Turkey. We would like to start a high-speed cargo train between Pakistan and Turkey, Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari told the Hürriyet Daily News & Economic Review on Tuesday in a written interview.
The upgrading of the existing rail link will cut the travel time between the two countries, he added. It will open up vast European and Asian markets to the benefit not only of Pakistan and Turkey but also of all people in the region.
Zardari, who is in Turkey to attend the Economic Cooperation Organization summit taking place in Istanbul from Wednesday to Friday, even has a name picked out for the planned train. I would suggest that the train may be named after the Turkish president as the Gül Train, he wrote.
The Pakistani president will also join the Turkey-Pakistan-Afghanistan trilateral summit this weekend, following the recent signing of 17 agreements to further boost political, security, economic, educational and cultural cooperation between Ankara and Islamabad. The two countries also agreed to set up joint working groups in the fields of finance and banking, trade, railways and communications, energy, education and culture and tourism.
The tremendous goodwill between the two countries is now poised to be transformed into [a] much closer strategic partnership. Practical steps that will follow include joint ventures for the development of infrastructure [in the] fields of energy, agriculture, industry and [the] facilitation of corporate sector interaction, Zardari told the Daily News.
Both Pakistan and Turkey are currently undertaking projects to upgrade their communications and transport systems, including creating an Islamabad-Istanbul rail link and regular cargo service; bolstering air links, in part by increasing the frequency and destinations of flights; and improving maritime cooperation and shipping links.
Gratitude for Turkish help
Already-developing relations between the countries became even closer following this summers devastating floods in Pakistan. Turkey was the largest donor of aid to the flood-hit country, where the disaster killed thousands of people and left millions homeless.
Let me express our profound gratitude to the people and leadership of Turkey for their extraordinary and selfless support and solidarity to the people of Pakistan during the flood disaster. The spirit and zeal with which every Turk provided assistance has no parallel, Zardari said. He added that he had visited a Turkish hospital built for the flood victims in Balochistan one of many hospitals, schools and homes built with the Turkish aid money and was greatly impressed.
I also commend the positive role of the Turkish media in general, and the Doğan Media Group in particular, in galvanizing public support, the Pakistani president said. The Daily News is a Doğan Media Group publication.
No overnight solution to terror
In the interview, Zardari also commented on Pakistans struggle to deal with extremists and terrorists who cause unrest within the country, particularly on its border with Afghanistan, where the United States regularly conducts operations.
The fight against militancy is a long battle and will not end overnight. We therefore need to continue mutual cooperation in the fight against militancy and also continually review it for ... regional and world peace and stability, Zardari said. The president underscored the fact that Pakistan has evolved a national consensus for countering terrorism and extremism and developed a 3 Ds strategy to address the problem Dialogue, Development and Deterrence and added that the country has offered dialogue and amnesty to all who agree to lay down their arms and renounce violence.
We have undertaken development projects and are building schools, hospitals and roads, he said. At the same time, our armed forces and law-enforcement agencies, backed by popular support and democratic legitimacy, are fighting the hard-core terrorists and extremists.
Pakistan uneasy about US drone attacks
Despite its close ties and cooperation with the United States, however, Zardari said Pakistan feels uneasy about the U.S. militarys drone attacks in its territory.
Pakistan has asked that drone technology be given to it for use against militants. Drones operated by Pakistani security personnel under the Pakistani flag will be acceptable, but drones operated by foreign forces under a foreign flag are viewed as an intrusion of sovereignty and deeply resented by the people and therefore counter-productive, he said.
While both the United States and NATO leadership apologized for recent incursions, drone attacks are still continuing, Zardari added. We consider this to be counter-productive and against our sovereignty. Such incidents negatively impact Pakistani public opinion.
The president underlined that ridding Pakistani society and the region of terrorism and extremism is a top priority, calling his country a frontline state in this global fight and expressing his satisfaction with the ongoing cooperation with Turkey in the fight against terrorism. I am grateful to the leadership of Turkey for its steadfast support of Pakistan in the fight against terrorism. Pakistan and Turkey are both victims of terrorism, he said. Zardari added that the countries relevant institutions closely cooperate to share intelligence, build capacity and train security officials.
Pakistans president calls for better schools to fight extremism
ANKARA - Hürriyet Daily News
Religious education in Pakistans madrassas needs to be reformed and brought up to the same level as any other modern school in order to fight extremism, the countrys president has said.
We need international assistance in the education sector. Substantial financial support is needed to set up educational institutes that serve as alternatives to radical madrassas in parts of the country that promote a militant mindset and taught extremism, Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari said.
Saying that these radical schools were created by very intelligent minds as an ideological monster for strategic military purposes, he said the schools needed to be countered with better schools and colleges.
I value the Turkish contribution in this sector in the form of Pak-Turk schools and believe this will benefit Pakistan, and thus help in realizing our vision of Education for All, Zardari said. These schools substantiate our close mutual cooperation in vital fields such as education, information and culture.
