January 14, 2007	Sunday	Zilhaj 23, 1427

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ISLAMABAD, Jan 13: Diplomats based in the capital believe that Gwadar Port and Coastal Highway projects have great potential to improve economic conditions of the region, but expressed doubt whether the government will be able to complete the two mega projects in time, owing to the law and order situation prevalent in Balochistan.

Some of the ambassadors, high commissioners and other diplomats who visited Gwadar and Pasni on Thursday, said they would recommend to their respective governments to arrange more visits of businessmen to Gwadar to assess investment opportunities in the area.

The day-long visit of diplomats was arranged by the Ministry of Communications to show them the ongoing development activities in the coastal areas of the province. It was for the first time that ambassadors and high commissioners of major countries visited Gwadar in such a large number to see future prospects of foreign investment in the area.

As many as 38 diplomats visited the Gwadar Port site and travelled on a 135-kilometre section of the Makran Coastal Highway amid tight security arrangements.

Before the visits to the two sites, the envoys were given a briefing by Communications Minister Shamim Siddiqui and officials of the Gwadar Port Authority, the Gwadar Development Authority and the National Highway Authority, on the two mega projects, at a hotel in Gwadar.

The foreign dignitaries were flown to Gwadar early Thursday morning in a special C-130 aircraft, with a group of mediapersons, and returned to Islamabad from Pasni the same evening.

“I will recommend (to) my government to arrange a visit of businessmen and traders to explore investment opportunities in Gwadar,” said Turkish Ambassador Engin Saysal after the visit.

Terming the briefing “excellent”, the Turkish ambassador said Gwadar had a “bright future”. He said he believed that Turkish construction firms would be interested in undertaking development projects in Gwadar.

Indian High Commissioner Satyabrata Pal said it was “very thoughtful” of the Pakistani government that it arranged such a visit and briefing for diplomats. “I am glad that such development activities are taking place in Pakistan,” he said, adding that “India will be happy to see a strong and prosperous Pakistan”.

Replying to a question on what contribution could India make in the development of Gwadar Sea Port, Mr Pal said it depended on the Pakistani government and what it wanted from India. He said there was no bar on Indian businessmen from investing in foreign countries, including Pakistan. He was of the view that Gwadar Port would not affect trade and economic activity in India.

Turkmenistan Ambassador Sapar Berdiniyazov, who also spoke on behalf of the diplomats after the briefing, said the Central Asian Republics were anxiously waiting for the completion of the Gwadar Port project. He said the Gwadar Port would “serve as a gateway for the landlocked Central Asian republics”.

He stressed the need for laying a railway track between Pakistan, Afghanistan and Turkmenistan and improving the road network. He said his country wanted to use the Gwadar Port to transport Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) to other countries. The UK High Commissioner, Robert Brinkley, said he was happy to visit Gwadar, adding that it was upto the British businessmen to decide whether they wanted to invest in the port city of Balochistan. Prominent among the diplomats who visited Gwadar and Pasni on Thursday were Larbaoui Nadir (Algeria), Eynulla Madatli (Azerbaijan), FA Shamim Ahmed (Bangladesh), Michel Goffin (Belgium), David B. Collins (Canada), Hany Bassiony (Egypt), Jan De Kok (European Union), Regis Belenet (France), Bela Fazekas (Hungary), Yuyun Kamnayun (Indonesia), Hiroyuki Kishino (Japan), Mishi Masika Mwatsahu (Kenya).