Zardari stresses international support to win war on terror

BRUSSELS, June 19 (APP): President Asif Ali Zardari on Friday told German Chancellor Angela Merkel that the fight against terrorism, which is threatening not only Pakistan but the whole world, can be won with international cooperation. At a breakfast meeting here at an upscale hotel in downtown Brussels, the two leaders discussed a host of issues including EU-Pakistan economic cooperation, fight against terrorism, situation in Afghanistan and Pakistan-India relations.
Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi told APP after the bilateral meeting that the President also informed the German Chancellor of the situation in Swat and Malakand.
The President told her that the military operation against terrorist elements has resulted in displacement of over 2 million people.
President Zardari said that Germany was a friend of Pakistan and one of the largest economies of the European Union and sought German cooperation for access of Pakistani goods to European markets.
The President also told Angela Merkel that Pakistan wants improvement of trade and economic ties with Europe and asked for German support for a Free Trade Agreement with EU.
The German Chancellor while supporting Pakistan on various issues asked President Zardari the areas in which her country could help Pakistan at the next Friends of Democratic Pakistan meeting in Istanbul.
She also expressed her desire that Pakistan and India should resume their dialogue to which President Zardari said that his country wants normalization of relations with its neighbour in the interest of not only the two countries but the whole region.
Angela Merkel said she was pleased to note that there is a broader political consensus in Pakistan on the fight against terrorism and extremism and added that it will help strengthen democracy.