ISLAMABAD, Dec 14: Pakistan is against use of force against Iran over its nuclear programme and wants the issue to be settled amicably, says Foreign Minister Khurshid Kasuri.

During his talks with Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki who arrived here on his first visit to Pakistan on Wednesday morning, Mr Kasuri underscored that the matter should be resolved within the IAEA framework. He also advocated early resumption Iran-EU dialogue and the need for it to be result-oriented.

Mr. Kasuri also reaffirmed Pakistan’s support for Iran’s legitimate rights as a state party to the NPT.

Mr Mottaki declared that Tehran attached highest priority to its relations with Pakistan and desired further strengthening of bilateral trade and economic cooperation.

During the delegation-level talks, the ministers focused on trade and economic aspects of bilateral relations, Iran-Pakistan-India (IPI) gas pipeline project and Tehran’s nuclear programme.

On the bilateral front, both the foreign ministers expressed satisfaction over the steady growth of relations and agreed that the recently set target of $1 billion two-way trade would be easily achievable.

The optimism was based on the fact that Pakistan’s exports to Iran rose by 59 per cent during 2004-05.

To maintain the upswing, both sides agreed to take specific measures, including full utilization of preferential trade and joint investment arrangements as also early implementation of decisions taken by the Pak-Iran joint economic commission on the eve of Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz’s visit to Iran last February. It was decided that a follow-up committee would meet at the secretary-level in Islamabad soon to review progress.

Mr Kasuri underlined Pakistan’s interest in early implementation of the project.