Pakistan to welcome China-SAARC interactive partnership

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tuesday welcomed China's interest in an “interactive partnership” with the South Asian regional grouping and announced support for the forum's greater interaction with extra regional states and organisations.

In a statement released here ahead of the two-day South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) to be held in the Maldives on 10 and 11 November, Pakistan’s foreign ministry said that SAARC should consider establishing dialogue partnership with interested states, reported Xinhua.

“Pakistan welcomed China’s interest in an interactive partnership with SAARC,” said the statement, adding that Pakistan suggested that a moratorium on expansion of observers should be lifted and it supported Turkey's request for becoming an observer.

Pakistan also supports the concept of regional energy cooperation and SAARC initiatives in enhancing mutually beneficial cooperation in agriculture, food security, poverty alleviation, climate change, trade and other areas, the foreign ministry said in the statement.

According to the statement, prime ministers of Pakistan and India are expected to meet on the margins of the summit that begins on 10 November.

Senior officials of the member countries met at Addu Atoll in the Maldives Monday to prepare agenda for the Summit. Pakistan’s Foreign Secretary Salman Bashir represented Pakistan at this meeting of SAARC States Foreign Secretaries and reiterated the country's commitment to regional cooperation.

“Pakistan believes that SAARC must lead the way and act as a catalyst for South Asia's socio economic transformation,” said Bashir, adding that the economic potential of the region was enormous.

He said that differences and disputes that had held back regional cooperation must be resolved.

The Conference theme of “Building Bridges” should help create amity, understanding and cooperation on the basis of enlightened self interest of the peoples of the region, said Bashir.