January 25, 2003	Saturday	Ziqa’ad 21, 1423

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ISLAMABAD, Jan 24: Prime Minister Zafarullah Khan Jamali will leave for Abu Dhabi on Saturday morning to begin a week-long trip to five Gulf countries where he will have talks on bilateral and international matters.

A Foreign Ministry statement said the prime minister would renew bilateral matters with the leaders of the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain and Oman — all members of the six-member Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) — and brief them about the latest situation in South Asia and Afghanistan.

“He will also have detailed discussions on developments relating to Iraq and the Middle East,” it said. This will be the prime minister’s third foreign trip since taking office in November, after his visits to Saudi Arabia — the sixth GCC member — and Turkmenistan.

Diplomatic sources said Mr Jamali’s talks in the five countries were likely to focus on tensions between Pakistan and India over the disputed Kashmir state, fears of a possible US- led attack on Iraq, the prolonged Israeli military operations against Palestinians and the international fight against terrorism, particularly the US-led military operations in Afghanistan.

They said the prime minister would also discuss with the leaders of these countries ways to enhance Pakistan’s commercial and economic ties with the Gulf region, where a large number of Pakistanis are working.

He is likely to urge entrepreneurs in these countries to make greater investment in Pakistan, the sources said.

“The government and the people of Pakistan attach great importance to their fraternal and friendly ties with GCC countries,” the Foreign Ministry statement said.

“The countries of the GCC and Pakistan have common positions on regional and international issues and have an abiding interest in each other’s security, stability and prosperity,” it added.