Gilani says summit helped reduce tension

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan, Aug. 4 (UPI) -- Pakistani Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani says his meeting with Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai in Sri Lanka helped reduce tensions between their nations.

The two met on the sidelines of the weekend summit of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation in the Indian Ocean island country.

"The visit has helped in (reducing) tension and dispelling many apprehensions and misunderstandings with Afghanistan," Gilani told reporters in Islamabad after his return from Sri Lanka, the state-run Associated Press of Pakistan reported.

Gilani quoted Karzai as saying "if you take one step forward we will take 1,000 steps," the report said.

The Afghan leader in recent months has been outspoken about terrorists launching attacks in his country from their sanctuaries across the border in Pakistan. Karzai has said his country has the right of self-defense to chase the terrorists into Pakistan.

Pakistan and Afghanistan are members of SAARC along with India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Maldives and Bhutan.