18 February 2005	Friday	08 Muharram 1426

ISLAMABAD, Feb 17: President General Pervez Musharraf and Malaysian Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi on Thursday discussed ways to strengthen bilateral relations.

The president received the Malaysian prime minister here at the Aiwan-e-Sadar. The two leaders also reviewed regional and international issues of mutual interest and exchanged views on the challenges facing the Muslim world.

The two leaders expressed satisfaction over growing economic and commercial ties between Pakistan and Malaysia. They noted that immense potential existed for economic and trade partnerships which should be fully tapped to redress the trade imbalance and to enhance Malaysian investment in Pakistan.

They said that consultations on preferential trade agreement (PTA) should lead to free trade agreement (FTA) between the two countries. The two leaders emphasized the need to establish joint investment ventures and to explore new areas for collaboration in industry, electronics, IT, telecommunications and agriculture.

President Musharraf said that the inauguration of the Malaysian company - DANCOM - will give a fresh impetus to the ongoing efforts to strengthen Pakistan-Malaysia economic collaboration.

The president said that the way forward was 'enlightened moderation'. President Musharraf thanked Ahmad Badawi, in his capacity as chairman of OIC, for holding consultations of the OIC Commission of Eminent Persons recently in Putrajaya to steer deliberations towards a meaningful follow-up on the 10th Islamic Summit's resolution on enlightened moderation.

The president said that after its entry into the Asean Regional Forum, Pakistan was participating in its work and hoped to forge even closer ties with all East Asian countries.

They discussed a broad range of issues, including bilateral ties, reform and renewal of the OIC, with the visiting leader appreciating Pakistan's efforts at addressing problems facing the Muslim world.

President Musharraf and the Malaysian leader also shared the view that expansion of bilateral trade and economic cooperation would further cement close relations enjoyed by the two countries.

Later, President Musharraf hosted a luncheon reception for the Malaysian prime minister. Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz, federal ministers, services chiefs, members of Malaysian PM's entourage and Islamabad-based diplomats attended the reception. -APP