September 08, 2008	Monday	Ramazan 07, 1429

BEIJING, Sept 7: The leaders of China and India are among those world personalities who have congratulated Asif Ali Zardari on his election as president.

Congratulating Mr Zardari, Chinese President Hu Jintao vowed continued close ties between the two allies, state-run Chinese media said on Sunday.

“China and Pakistan are friendly neighbours joined by common mountains and rivers, and the peoples of the two countries have developed an all-weather friendship,” Xinhua news agency said, quoting the Chinese president’s message.

“When dealing with international and regional affairs, the two countries support each other and coordinate closely,” the message said.

“In the new historical period, China is willing to join hands with Pakistan to carry forward the traditional friendship.”

Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh described Zardari’s election as a chance to transform relations between India and Pakistan.

“The ushering in of democracy in Pakistan opens new opportunities for us to work together to bring the fruits of peace, prosperity and development to our region,” said Singh in a letter released by the prime minister’s office.

“We have the political will to work with you to seize these opportunities and transform our relations. In your new office, you will find a friend in India.”

SECURITY ISSUES: Australia urged Mr Zardari to focus on security issues, particularly in the Afghan border region.

Australian Foreign Minister Stephen Smith told Sky News: “We hope that the Pakistani government and political system can now start to focus on the very serious political and economic, and social and strategic and security problems that Pakistan has, particularly abutting the Pakistan/Afghanistan border, which bring very deleterious consequences for our troops in Afghanistan.”

Australia has about 1,000 troops in Afghanistan.

TIES WITH AFGHANISTAN: Afghan President Hamid Karzai said he hoped the election would herald an upturn in relations.

“Hamid Karzai, besides congratulating the Pakistan People’s Party over their victory in the election, wished success for Asif Ali Zardari,” a statement from the Afghan leader’s office said.

Karzai is said to have had a good relationship with the late Benazir Bhutto.

REGIONAL STABILITY: France, which holds the EU’s rotating presidency, called for “an easing of tensions in the region and encourages the Pakistani authorities to make a decisive contribution to regional stability”.

The French EU presidency “encourages in particular Pakistan in its fight against terrorism and assures the new president that it will continue to support him on that path,” a statement said.European Commission chief Jose Manuel Barroso said: “I trust that under your presidency the government will implement appropriate policies to meet the important economic and security challenges the country is currently facing.”

He said the commission would work with Pakistan to help meet the challenges.—Agencies