NEW DELHI/HYDERABAD, 12 April 2006 — Visiting Afghan President Hamid Karzai yesterday called for a trilateral system of cooperation involving India and Pakistan to ensure economic growth and quicker progress of the region.

“The tri-polar structure of cooperation among India, Pakistan and Afghanistan would release the best energy of this region and bring quicker progress and economic betterment to it,” Karzai said at a breakfast meeting with editors here.

The Afghan leader said that both India and Pakistan were warm to the idea. The issue was discussed during talks with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh who also favored the idea, Karzai said.

Regarding concern voiced by India over transit problem for Indian goods reaching Afghanistan through Pakistan, Karzai said that he would take up the issue with Islamabad.

While Pakistan has expressed support for conceding transit rights to Afghanistan for its exports to India, it is not prepared to grant similar rights to India for its exports to Afghanistan. Though India has repeatedly reminded Pakistan on this, President Musharraf has linked the issue to the resolution of Kashmir problem.

When questioned on this, Karzai said that both countries should look beyond the Kashmir issue and “address other issues that benefit their people.”

To a question whether Pakistan was doing enough to combat terrorism, Karzai said Pakistan was making great efforts to flush out Taleban suspects from the region bordering Afghanistan. “What we want is more effective fight on all sides...With more coordination and more exchange of information, we will be making much more progress,” he said.

Regarding Osama Bin Laden’s probable presence in Pakistan, Karzai said: “If they find him there, I am sure they will hand him over in a manner that is in keeping with our fight against terrorism.”

Karzai visited southern Hyderabad city later yesterday, where he toured information-technology centers and a rural-development project. During his visit to Hyderabad, Karzai invited Indian IT companies to set up their operations in his country.

Expressing his desire to develop IT sector in his country, he said Afghanistan offered good opportunities for investments.

“I invite you to set up your operations or invest in joint ventures in Afghanistan. We will create a conducive environment and provide all support and facilities to you,” he told representatives of IT companies.