Afghanistan-Pakistan Trade Deal Comes at Urging of U.S.

At the urging of the United States, Afghanistan and Pakistan have entered into a trade partnership aimed at boosting the regional economy and eroding the efforts of anti-government forces in both countries, The Los Angeles Times reported.

The rare trade deal announced Sunday is the first such agreement between the two nations in half a century, U.S. officials said. It still must be ratified by both countries.

"This is a big deal," State Department spokesman Philip J. Crowley told the Times. "It will help both countries grow their economies, and this gives both governments a powerful tool in gaining the support of their people and reducing the appeal of the insurgencies that each face."

Afghanistan and Pakistan, which share a common border, have never been sworn enemies but have had tense relations. The United States is hopeful the agreement will send a signal to neighboring countries that cooperation is in the best interests of the entire region -- both economically and toward the goal of defeating the Taliban and Al Qaeda.

The deal is designed to expand commerce, create jobs, reduce import costs and make exports more attractive and available to outside markets. Increased border security is also a key goal, with trucks and cargo to be monitored through high-tech tracking devices, according to the Times.

The agreement was signed in Islamabad, the Pakistani capital, by the the two nations' ministers of trade (pictured), as Secretary of State Hillary Clinton looked on.

While in Pakistan, Clinton announced a $500-million aid package designed to shore up the country's aging electricity infrastructure and address its ongoing drought. She then traveled to Afghanistan for a meeting about that country's economic future.