KARACHI, Nov 3: Consul General of Federal Republic of Germany Hans-Joachim Kiderlen has expressed confidence that his country’s business and economic relations would attain a new peak and the two-way annual trade volume will touch the $2 billion mark.

“The trade balance is at present in our favour and we realise that it is not a sustainable relationship and we are keen to see imports from your side go up,” remarked Mr Kiderlen on Thursday evening at a welcome dinner hosted by Pakistan German Business Forum (PGBF), which was attended by a large number of business executives representing most of the 200 members of the forum.

President of Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry Majyd Aziz, who is also a member of the PGBF, attended the dinner.Mr. Kiderlain arrived in Karachi about one and a half months ago to take charge of the consulate recalled the historic role played by Karachi in economic development of Pakistan and promotion of country’s business relations with the world.

---He pledged on the occasion to play his role as a diplomat to invite foreign businessmen and government representatives in Karachi.

Besides business and economic relationship, the German consul general said that his country enjoyed relations with Pakistan in cultural field, education and municipal services. “My mission is to further strengthen and expand relationship in these areas,” he announced.

Reviewing trade between Pakistan and Germany he said Pakistan mostly exported textile products and imported machinery from his country. “Pakistan’s exports need to be diversified,” the German consul general advised Pakistani businessmen.

Earlier President of the PGBF Qazi Sajid spoke of the role of the forum in promoting German investment in Pakistan and development of the two- way business relations. The German companies, he pointed out, were playing a key role in economic development of Pakistan and making valuable contribution in social sectors.

The PGBF was founded in December 1997 and has 200 companies on its membership list. The German ambassador in Pakistan is the patron-in -chief of the PGBF. The PGBF works in close relations with different chambers and trade bodies in Pakistan. In September 2002, it signed an MoU with Chamber of Commerce and Industry Rahein-N Mannhiem, Germany (IHK). The IHK has more than 5,000 members from German industrial and trade segments.

President Pervez Musharraf visited Germany in June 2003. The visit was reciprocated by German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder in October. Since then Pakistan and Germany has several contacts at the foreign ministers’ level and at non-governmental levels.