May 26, 2006	Friday	Rabi-us-Sani 27, 1427

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ISLAMABAD, May 25: Pakistan and Argentina have decided to deepen and broaden bilateral cooperation for expanding mutually beneficial ties in diverse fields.

The decision was reached at a meeting between Pakistan’s Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Makhdum Khusro Bakhtyar and Deputy Foreign Minister of Argentina, Roberto Garcia Moritan, in Buenos Aires on Wednesday.

The meeting marked the first high-level bilateral political consultations between the two countries.

A cooperation agreement was also signed between the Foreign Service Academy of Pakistan and the Foreign Service Institute of Argentina.

A joint press statement issued after the meeting and released here by the Foreign Office on Thursday said the two sides agreed on a range of measures to increase high-level exchanges, strengthen the political dialogue, and intensify bilateral economic and commercial linkages.

They underscored the importance of reinforcing their growing political and economic ties with exchanges in the academic, cultural, sports and science & technology fields and stressed the need to continue the process of political consultations on a regular basis, it noted.

Both sides noted with satisfaction the steady evolution of the bilateral relationship and, in particular, the progress achieved since President Musharraf’s visit to Argentina in December 2004, the statement said.

Mr Bakhtyar and Mr Moritan expressed satisfaction at the convergence of positions of Pakistan and Argentina on a broad range of multilateral issues and their close cooperation on global issues, including UN reform process and Security Council reform, it added.

They exchanged views on regional issues of common interest. The Pakistan side gave a briefing on the composite dialogue with India. The Argentine side expressed support for the dialogue process and efforts for the resolution of the Kashmir dispute in accordance with UN resolutions and the principles of the UN Charter.

Deputy Foreign Minister Garcia Moritan referred to the current situation on the question of Malvinas Islands, and thanked Pakistan for its support to the peaceful settlement of the issue through bilateral negotiations as called for in the UN and OAS resolutions.

During his stay in Buenos Aires, Mr Bakhtyar also met Argentine Foreign Minister Jorge Taiana, and discussed matters of mutual interest with him. He delivered an invitation from Foreign Minister Khurshid Mehmood Kasuri to Mr Taiana, inviting him to visit Pakistan.