OTTAWA, March 30 (UPI) -- Group of Eight foreign ministers plan to fight militants on the Afghan-Pakistan border by increasing trade in the region.
Authorities on both sides of the Afghan-Pakistan frontier say their efforts at stopping cross-border militancy are hampered by the easy movement of militants across the border, often with the help of local residents.
Canadian Foreign Minister Lawrence Cannon called the situation in the region "critical for global security."
G8 foreign ministers meeting in Canada said trade deals between Pakistan and Afghanistan along with infrastructure improvements in the area can help the issue and dampen local support for the Taliban.
The G8 foreign ministers are meeting in advance of this summer's heads of state summit in Canada. They are also expected to lay groundwork for talks on the Iranian nuclear program and the threats posed by extremist groups such as the one suspected of carrying out Monday's subway attacks in G8-member Russia.
The Group of Eight includes Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Russia, the United Kingdom and the United States.
