September 4, 2003	Thursday	Rajab 6, 1424

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ISLAMABAD, Sept 3: The Senate deputy chairman, Khalilur Rehman, has been given the highest medal by the Philippine House of Representatives, says a message received here from Manila on Tuesday.

Speaker of the Philippine Parliament, Jose de Venecia, while commending the role of Mr Rehman cited his efforts in promoting the closest parliamentary relations between the legislatures of the Philippines and Pakistan.

The Philippine Parliament speaker, in his speech during the Fourth Congress of Asian Association of Parliaments for Peace, lauded the role of Mr Rehman in raising the quality of bilateral relations between the two countries as well as his sincere campaign to deepen the friendship between the people of the two countries.

Mr Rehman reciprocated the good wishes and gratitude to Mr de Venecia and said that Pakistan would act as a bridge between the Far East and Near East in promoting peace and harmony in the Asian region.

ALGERIAN PRESIDENT: The Pakistan Senate delegation led by Senate Chairman Mohammadmian Soomro called on the Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika in Algiers, says a message received here on Tuesday.

Talking to the delegation, the Algerian president expressed satisfaction at the growing ties between Pakistan and Algeria.

He hoped that the visit of the delegation, which was the follow-up of President General Pervez Musharraf’s tour to Algeria in July, would open new avenues of cooperation and positively contribute to the strengthening of bilateral relations between the two countries in all fields.

Mr Soomro thanked the Algerian president and said the two countries could benefit from each other’s experiences. Mr Bouteflika also hosted a luncheon for the delegation.

The Senate delegation during its five days stay held meetings with the Chairman of Algerian Conseil de la Nation (Senate), Mr Bensaleh; President of the People’s Assembly, Karim Younes; Head of Government, Ahmad Ouyahia; Foreign Minister Abdelaziz Belkhadim; Minister of Trade Noureddin Boukrouh; Minister of Culture and Information Khalida Toumi and the president of Algerian Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

Regional and international situation came up under review during these meetings. Possibilities of increased cooperation between the senates of the two countries were also explored.

The delegations also visited Honeybee, a tourist and industrial city, where it visited paper and steel bar producing factories, a museum and mausoleum of an Algerian Saint Sidi Ibrahim.