Zardari for Pak-Af-Iran front to ensure regional stability (Lead)

August 11th, 2009 ISLAMABAD - Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari has said the country is committed to ensuring equal rights to all minorities as per the Constitution. In a message delivered on Minorities Day, Zardari said all measures will be taken to ensure complete freedom and security to people belonging to minority communities.

July 30th, 2009 DUSHANBE - Pakistan, Afghanistan and Tajikistan Thursday vowed to cooperate in the fight against terrorism and organized crime and also strengthen their trade, energy and communication ties. Agreement on this came at a trilateral meeting between Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari, Afghan President Hamid Karzai and Tajik President Emomali Rahmon at Varzob, a picturesque tourist resort some 40 km from here, APP news agency reported.

June 26th, 2009 WASHINGTON - The US has said it will support continuing dialogue between India and Pakistan them to find joint solutions to counter terrorism and to promote regional stability, but leave it to them how to go about it. "We will also continue to support dialogue between Indian and Pakistani leaders," Robert O.

June 16th, 2009 YEKATERINBURG - Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari said Tuesday that the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) should help find solutions to regional problems and proposed a special mechanism for his country's involvement in three key areas - security, energy and trade. There was need to find concrete solutions instead of stop-gap arrangements, Zardari said while addressing the ninth SCO summit in this Russian industrial city, adding SCO must help finding solutions to regional problems, Online news agency reported.

June 5th, 2009 ISLAMABAD - Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari has said that extremism can not pose a threat to the sovereignty of the country, and claimed that the Swat offensive is fully backed by Pakistan's political fraternity. Zardari said the country's civil society and the political forces would never allow the extremists to carry on their nefarious activities to expand their writ.

May 24th, 2009 TEHRAN - Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari has said his country, Afghanistan and Iran need to evolve a joint strategy to solve their border-related probelems. Addressing a trilateral conference, Zardari said the global downturn has impacted Pakistan and Afghanistan most.

May 7th, 2009 WASHINGTON - Concerned by reports of an imminent threat to Pakistan's nuclear arsenal from the Taliban, US Senator Richard Luger has asked President Obama to force Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari to ensure the safety of the nukes. According to The Nation, Senate foreign committee member, Luga,r urged Obama to ask Zardari to step up security for Pakistan's nuclear facilities.

May 6th, 2009 WASHINGTON - US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and US Special Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan, Richard Holbrooke called on President Asif Ali Zardari here on Wednesday. Zardari, Clinton and Holbrooke discussed the war on terror in a breakfast meeting that lasted for about an hour.

April 16th, 2009 TOKYO - Japanese Prime Minister Taro Aso Thursday told visiting Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari that stability in Pakistan is important for stability in south-western Asia. 'The stable development of Pakistan will directly lead to the stability of the entire region,' the Kyoto News Agency quoted Aso as telling Zardari during a meeting at the premier's office in Tokyo.

March 12th, 2009 LAHORE - President Asif Ali Zardari has said Pakistan will purchase gas from Iran even if India pulls out of the project, adding that he would discuss this possibility with the Iranian officials. The Daily Times quoted Zardari, as saying that Iran-Pakistan-India (IPI) gas pipeline project was in the best interest of Pakistan and Iran.

March 12th, 2009 LAHORE - President Asif Ali Zardari has said Pakistan will purchase gas from Iran even if India pulls out of the project, adding that he would discuss this possibility with the Iranian officials. The Daily Times quoted Zardari, as saying that Iran-Pakistan-India (IPI) gas pipeline project was in the best interest of Pakistan and Iran.

March 12th, 2009 ISLAMABAD - Amidst the on-going political blame game, and fears of military taking over the reigns, Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari has assured that there is no risk of derailment of democracy in the country. According to a People's Media Cell handout released before his departure to Iran, Zardari negated the notion that Pakistan is a failed state.

March 11th, 2009 TEHRAN - Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari arrived in Tehran Tuesday to attend the 10th Summit of the Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) and discuss plans for a gas pipeline linking the two countries with India. Zardari and his Iranian and Afghan counterparts Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and Hamid Karzai are scheduled to have a trilateral meeting prior to the summit Wednesday on security in Afghanistan and Pakistan.

March 10th, 2009 ISLAMABAD - Pakistan will go ahead with the Iran-Pakistan-India (IPI) gas pipeline project even without India's participation, President Asif Ali Zardari said Monday, adding he will discuss the issue during his visit to Tehran beginning Tuesday. Zardari leaves for Tehran to represent Pakistan at the summit of the Economic Cooperation Organisation being held in Iranian capital Wednesday, Geo TV reports.

January 27th, 2009 TEHRAN - Iran has achieved self-sufficiency in manufacturing combat missiles of various modifications, the country's defence minister has said. Mostafa Mohammad Najjar said Iranian military specialists 'are creating types of weapons that have no equal in the world'.