YEKATERINBURG, Russia (AFP) – Russia's Dmitry Medvedev, Afghan leader Hamid Karzai and Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari vowed Monday to unite in the battle against terrorism.

“Many issues including most serious challenges our nations are facing such as terrorism and crime can only be fought by collective effort,” Medvedev said after a first three-way meeting in the Russian city of Yekaterinburg.
“And if we manage to create an efficient working trilateral mechanism it will benefit our nations and help solve the major tasks we are facing.”
Karzai agreed the neighbors should close ranks in their fight against terrorism and other regional threats.
“I am sure this initial step will take us further... towards the common objectives of the three countries and the region in an effective fight against terrorism, bringing stability to the region...
“Afghanistan will be your full-fledged partner in this very timely and much needed endeavour,” President Karzai said.
Pakistan's Zardari said regional powers had not cooperated closely enough in the past.
“We have common interests, a common history and we can make it a common stand. I think what is missing in this war.... is that the neighbours haven't been involved.... Let's all come together... to make sure it is a safer world.”
Pakistani security forces are locked in a seven-week campaign against insurgents in three northwest districts.
The United States has said that Al-Qaeda and Taliban militants are hiding out in South Waziristan and other tribal areas, crossing the border into war-torn Afghanistan and plotting attacks on Western targets.
The three-party meeting took place on the sidelines of a summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, a regional group dominated by Russia and China that also includes Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.
Pakistan has an observer status and Afghanistan's Karzai has been invited to attend as a guest. Medvedev met separately with Karzai and Zardari before their three-party meeting.