ISTANBUL: The leaders of Pakistan, Afghanistan and Turkey on Friday began an informal round of talks over lunch in a bid to find ways to ensure a secure future of their region. Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan hosted an open?air luncheon in honour of President Asif Ali Zardari and President Hamid Karzai, at a local hotel, overlooking the Bosphorous Straits.
Members of the three delegations mingled at the event that provided an opportunity to debate the serious challenges confronting the region, which will set the stage for deliberations later in the day.
The lunch will be followed by bilateral talks between Turkish President and Prime Minister separately with the Presidents of Pakistan and Afghanistan.
The three heads of states will meet after their separate meetings for formal talks and culminate at a press conference.
The talks are being preceded by a round of foreign secretary level talks on Thursday. The chambers of commerce of the three countries also met on the sidelines, under the Istanbul Forum and focused on trade facilitation, border management, logistics, construction and capacity building. It also deliberated on a regional development agenda for the private sectors of the three countries.
