D-8 summit to boost Pakistan’s image: Khar

Pakistan will improve its image at the regional and international levels when the leaders of eight developing countries gather here for D-8 summit, to be inaugurated by President Asif Ali Zardari with a major focus on enhancing economic and trade cooperation among the member states.
“Leaders of eight developing countries will arrive here for the Eighth Summit of Developing Eight (D-8) on November 22 on the invitation of President Asif Ali Zardari,” said Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar while addressing a press conference on Monday.
She said the event, which coincided with the 15th anniversary of the founding of D-8, would focus on the theme of “Democratic Partnership for Peace and Prosperity” as all the eight participants were vibrant democracies.
“The Islamabad summit is a major international event being hosted by Pakistan, which will enhance its image and standing,” she added.
Khar said Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi, Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Nigerian President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, and Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan would attend the summit.
Malaysia is likely to be represented by the deputy prime minister while a special representative from Bangladesh will also attend the summit, she added.
To a question regarding alleged refusal of the Bangladeshi prime minister over a written apology for 1971 crimes, the foreign minister denied the reports, saying she had personally visited Bangladesh and she was not demanded such thing.
Khar said she was warmly welcomed by the Bangladeshi leadership and all such reports of demanding an apology from Pakistan were absolutely wrong.
Explaining the reasons for not attending the D-8 summit by the Bangladeshi prime minister, Khar said doctors had advised her not to travel due to some eye ailment. Pakistan will take over the chairmanship of D-8 for the next two years, until 2014.
Khar said the D-8 summit was of extraordinary significance as it would adopt the organisation’s charter and its global vision. “The leaders will witness signing of the charter by the foreign ministers at a special ceremony following the summit,” she added.
She said the leaders would also adopt Islamabad Declaration 2012 reaffirming their joint resolve for making concerted efforts to confront common challenges.
Khar said on the margins of the summit, President Zardari and Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf would hold bilateral meetings with the visiting leaders.
She said the summit would witness the visit of an Egyptian president after four decades and that of a Nigerian leader after around 28 years.
She said the visit of D-8 leaders to Pakistan would open new vistas for expanding trade and investment relations with all the D-8 countries as the main purpose of the summit was to promote trade, economic ties and promote people-to-people contacts.
She said Prime Minister Ashraf on Monday inaugurated the D-8 Trade Exhibition and would open D-8 Business Forum on Tuesday.
“Both the events are the flagship events of the D-8 summit to be attended by top corporate leaders from Pakistan and other group members,” she added.
“Given the government’s efforts to promote interaction with the private sector, these business activities will provide a solid platform at which Pakistan’s public and private sector will be able to showcase wide possibilities in joint ventures and investment,” she said.