LUXEMBOURG, April 27: Pakistan and the European Union on Wednesday pledged to forge a stronger partnership, saying relations were expanding to cover a range of political and economic questions. “We expect a more robust relationship with the EU to move our relationship to a more solid basis,” Foreign Minister Khurshid Mehmood Kasuri told reporters.

Luxembourg Foreign Minister Jean Asselborn also welcomed improving ties with Pakistan, saying the EU attached great importance to its relations with Islamabad.

“More than ever before, there is awareness on both sides of the common interests that bring us together,” Asselborn added. Luxembourg is current president of the 25-nation EU.

While the talks opened with Kasuri lodging a formal protest at the treatment meted out to Senator Samiul Haq by the European Parliament, Kasuri and Asselborn said the wide-ranging talks had covered an array of national, regional and international issues.

The Pakistani foreign minister said he had repeated Islamabad’s long-standing demands for improved access for its textile exports to the EU market.

He said there was a possibility that officials from both sides could soon meet in Dubai to discuss a review of EU anti-dumping duties on Pakistani bedlinen.

Pakistan is also pressing for access to the EU’s duty-free market access scheme known as GSP Plus.

EU external relations chief Benita Ferrero-Waldner repeated, however, that any EU decision on the issue would have to be compatible with World Trade Organisation rules.

Discussions focused on Pakistani domestic politics, with Asselborn saying the EU had stressed the importance of “further democratization in Pakistan and encouraged the continuation of the policy of enlightened moderation promoted by President Musharraf.”

“Pakistan is a key player in South Asia,” said Ferrero-Waldner, adding that the bloc approved the “wise decisions” taken by Pakistan in combating terrorism.

The EU voiced strong support for improving Pakistan-India ties, saying it was ready to assist in the cooperation efforts.

“Kashmir could become a bridge in normalizing relations between India and Pakistan,” said Asselborn.

“Success in normalizing relations would secure a place in history for all those concerned,” he said.

“In the region we cannot allow a risk of a nuclear war...we have to do everything to help the two countries to live in peace,” Asselborn added.

Asselborn said the EU welcomed Pakistan’s support for the bloc’s diplomatic efforts to resolve the nuclear issue with Iran.

The meeting in Luxembourg marks an important step forward in EU-Pakistan relations which have traditionally focused on trade and economic ties.

The Commission has promised a four-fold increase in development aid to Islamabad, raising the current 15 million euro annual aid package to 60 million euros a year as of 2007.

The new aid package — which must still be approved by the European Parliament and EU governments — would be spent on education and the development of the Frontier province and Balochistan, said Ferrero-Waldner.

The Commissioner also reiterated long-standing EU demands that Pakistan sign up to a so-called “readmission agreement” under which it would automatically accept any of its nationals found to be illegally in the EU.

PROTEST LODGED: Mr Kasuri on Wednesday lodged a strong protest with the European Union’s Luxembourg presidency at the EU parliament’s decision last week to boycott talks with a Senate delegation because it included Maulana Samiul Haq.