DUSHANBE - Pakistan, Tajikistan and Iran signed contracts for 17 mega development projects in Afghanistan at the conclusion of the 5th Regional Economic Conference in Dushanbe on Tuesday. Agreements on the infrastructure development projects, including railway lines and the Tajikistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India (TAPI) gas pipeline, were signed by the presidents of the three countries.

Delegations from around 70 countries and international organizations attended the event, addressed by Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Afghan leader Hamid Karzai and Tajik President Emomali Rahmon.

"Some of the projects are too huge to be implemented by one country," Foreign Minister Zalmai Rassoul told a press conference in Dushanbe.

But Rassoul, who assisted President Karzai in his meetings with Pakistani, Iranian and Tajik counterparts, did not give details of the projects. He said further information would be shared with the media in the future.

On Monday, President Karzai urged a visa-free regime for traders to enhance business ties among regional countries and called for connecting Afghanistan with the region through railway lines and gas pipelines.

Zardari called for trans-border cooperation which would not only transform the economic landscape of the South and Central Asian region, but could also be an effective bulwark against extremism.

The Iranian leader said international financial aid had failed to provide a breakthrough in resolving the Afghan crises. The three leaders discussed bilateral relations, the regional situation and global issues.

Rassoul said participants of the conference insisted on enhanced commercial ties. He called the summit different from previous meetings, when only hollow promises were held out. (Pajhwok)