December 17, 2006	Sunday	Ziqa'ad 25, 1427

ISLAMABAD, Dec 16: Pakistan and Chile have agreed to promote ties in the energy and mineral sectors aimed at bringing the two countries closer.

According to a press release issued here on Saturday these views were expressed in a meeting between the visiting Pakistani delegation, comprising Federal Minister for Petroleum and Natural Resources, Amanullah Khan Jadoon, Chief Minister Balochistan Mir Jam Muhammad Yousuf and Chilean Minister for Energy and Minerals Ms Karen Ponichik at Santiago.

They agreed that there existed a lot of potential and expertise for enhancing the level of cooperation in the energy and mineral sector as both the countries were endowed with vast energy and mineral resources.

Ms Karen Ponichik appreciated the economic growth of Pakistan during the last few years as a result of introducing, reforming and deregulating policies, which were yielding high dividends.

She accepted the invitation extended by the minister for petroleum to visit Pakistan soon along with a delegation of public and private energy and mineral entrepreneurs to explore vistas of bilateral cooperation.

M/S Expressa Nacional de Minerlia (Enami), the Chilean group of public sector companies in mining gave a detailed presentation to the Pakistani delegation highlighting the expertise, strength, technical powers and the wealth of experience, which the group gained over the past several years in the field of mining.

The Enami group offered Pakistan government their assistance to contribute to the development of new mineral policy of Pakistan, which would accelerate mining activities in under-explored areas with immense potential of mineral wealth.

The Pakistani delegation is currently visiting Chile at the invitation of their government to explore the avenues of cooperation between the two countries in the energy and mineral sectors with a view to see the Chilean mining industry and facilities on the ground to have better understanding and know-how of the sectors, which have the state-of-the art mining techniques developed with the experience of over hundred years.

The Ambassador of Pakistan to Argentine Ishtiaq Hussain Andarabi, Balochistan Minister for Mines Abdur Rehman Jamali, senior joint secretary Petroleum Jehangir Khan, principal secretary to CM Balochistan Fariduddin, Chairman Balochistan Development Authority Muhammad Farooq, Director General Minerals Balochistan Maqbool Ahmed were also present in the meeting.