Ahead of an international conference on Afghanistan in the Turkey, Ankarahosts a dialogue between Afghanistan and Pakistan Tuesday.

Turkey hosts a dialogue between Afghanistan and Pakistan Tuesday in a bid to defuse tensions and pave the way for cooperation between the neighbors, ahead of an international conference on Afghanistan in the Turkish capital.

President Abdullah Gul will hold separate talks with Hamid Karzai of Afghanistan and Asif Zardari of Pakistan before the three-way talks later Tuesday, said a Turkish diplomatic source.
The meeting is the first between the two neighbors since the assassination of the former Afghan leader Burhanuddin Rabbani on September 20.

Kabul has accused Islamabad of refusing to cooperate in the investigation of the murder, which according to Afghan authorities, was planned in Pakistan and committed by a Pakistani suicide bomber.
"We will try to resolve their differences," said a Turkish diplomatic source speaking on condition of anonymity, adding that all countries in the region have a duty to work for peace in Afghanistan.

In addition to the meeting, Ankara will also host an international conference on Afghanistan on Wednesday.
The three presidents will also discuss in Tuesday meeting their fight against the Taliban and sign agreements enshrining their commitment to cooperate in the field of security, according to the same source.

The meeting is the sixth in Turkey, a NATO member, since the consultations were established in 2007 to encourage both countries to cooperate against extremism.

The previous meetings between the two countries' presidents, military leaders and intelligence chiefs resulted in the parties' commitment to improve cooperation.
Later Tuesday, the three presidents will sign two

 agreements on security cooperation, including a military one, said the Turkish source, adding that the deals will forge cross-border cooperation against terrorism.