ISLAMABAD, Dec 19: Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari arrived here on Sunday on his first visit to Pakistan to discuss bilateral and regional matters, officials said.

During his three-day stay, he would meet President Pervez Musharraf, Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz and Foreign Minister Khurshid Kasuri, said the foreign ministry.

Mr Zebari, who is the first foreign minister of the interim Iraqi government to visit Pakistan, would discuss matters relating to "mutual cooperation, stability, election and reconstruction in Iraq", said Foreign Office Spokesman Masood Khan said.

"Iraq is passing through a difficult time and the government of Pakistan wishes peace and stability there," he said in a statement. "Pakistan continues to watch the situation in Iraq with great interest and hopes this visit would further strengthen the ties between the two brotherly countries for their mutual benefit," Mr Khan said.

RUSSIAN DEPUTY FM: Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Kislyak has arrived here on a three-day visit. He would also call on Foreign Minister Khurshid Kasuri and Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Makhdoom Khusro Bakhtyar during his stay in Islamabad. -AFP/APP