By KUNA,
Islamabad : Pakistan and Turkey Saturday expressed tenacity to further boost bilateral trade relations and start a strategic dialogue at foreign ministers level.
The dialogue for regular contacts was meant to further enhance bilateral, friendly and time-tested relations for the benefit of people of the two countries. The understanding was reached in a meeting between foreign ministers of the two countries here.
During the meeting, Indian Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi and his Turkish counterpart Ali Babacan discussed regional and international issues, trade and economic relations.
Later, talking to media, Foreign Minister Qureshi said that both countries have high level political contacts and the strategic dialogue at foreign ministers level would further enhance these relations.
The two counterparts said that they have decided to hold the next meeting of the Joint Working Group in May, which was scheduled in January this year but postponed due to elections in Pakistan.
They also agreed to hold third round of tripartite talks between Pakistan, Afghanistan and Turkey in May this year to ease tension in the region and ensure peace and security.
Qureshi expressed eagerness to further improve trade and economic ties and to increase present level of trade of USD 690 million between two countries to USD one billion in the next two years.
Turkish Foreign Minister Ali Babacan said both countries have close cooperation at various levels and due to Pakistans geo-strategic location, the relations between the two countries are quite important.
Later, the Turkish minister met with President Pervez Musharraf and was also expected to hold meeting with Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani.