RAWALPINDI, May 4: Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz met President Gen Pervez Musharraf here on Wednesday and exchanged views on matters of national importance, including economic development, with him. The meeting took place on the eve of the prime minister’s departure on a four-nation tour of the Far Eastern region.

The two leaders said Pakistan wanted to expand its multidimensional relations with the economically robust ASEAN region as part of its Vision East Asia, according to an official release.

They said development of institutional linkages with the Far Eastern and East Asian countries would boost trade and economic ties.

Mr Aziz’s tour will take him to Malaysia, Brunei Darussalam, Thailand and Singapore.

President Musharraf visited some countries of the region in the last week of April and secured support of Indonesia and the Philippines for Pakistan’s stronger ties with the ASEAN. —APP