Associated Press
October 8

Afghan President Hamid Karzai is scheduled to travel to Turkey next week to attend a regional economic summit, foreign ministry officials said Tuesday.

Karzai, along with Foreign Minister Dr. Abdullah, will leave Kabul Sunday for Istanbul, where they will attend a two-day summit of the Economic Cooperation Organization, foreign ministry spokesman Omar Samad said. The summit begins Monday.

The regional organization was founded in 1985 to promote regional trade and economic growth. Its members include Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Iran, Kazakstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Turkey, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan.

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