May 30, 2003	Friday	Rabi-ul-Awwal 27,1424

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TEHRAN, May 29: Foreign Minister Khurshid Mehmood Kasuri called on president of Iran, Syed Mohammad Khatami, here on Thursday and briefed him about the latest developments in the Pakistan-India relations.

He said President Musharraf had been calling for resumption of dialogue between India and Pakistan for the last three years and at last, “India had responded positively and took certain steps to resume dialogue that we have welcomed.”

Mr Kasuri said Pakistan had always supported dialogue for a peaceful settlement of the Kashmir dispute in accordance with the wishes of the Kashmiri people.

President Katami expressed satisfaction over the easing of tension between Pakistan and India.

President Khatami conveyed his warm greetings to both the president and the prime minister of Pakistan, and expressed satisfaction over the close cooperation and relations between Iran and Pakistan.

Mr Kasuri briefed the Iranian President about the efforts Pakistan had been making to avert an attack on Iraq and its recent efforts that were directed towards providing immediate relief to the people of Iraq who have been suffering for decades.

He said the UN should play its role in the reconstruction of Iraq and added, Iraq should have a representative government as soon as possible.

About Iran-Pakistan-India proposed gas pipeline project, the minister said Pakistan has been supporting this project from the very outset and now the prospects of its implementation are better than before in view of the positive trend in the Pakistan-India relations.

He said the project would be in the interest of the entire region and both the proposed Iran-Pakistan-India and Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan pipelines would promote economic development in the region besides meeting the energy demands of India and other energy deficient regional countries.

Referring to the balance of trade between Iran and Pakistan, Mr Kasuri drew the attention of Iranian president to import of Pakistani wheat into Iran. The President assured him that the matter would be expedited and the concerned officials would be directed to take necessary steps in this regard.—APP