ISLAMABAD, May 6: The European Union has a deep and continuing interest in the nuclear non-proliferation issue and it appreciates Pakistan's "very good" cooperation on this matter.

These views were expressed by members of the delegation of the European Commission to Pakistan at a special press briefing held on Wednesday on the biggest-ever enlargement of the EU.

The briefing was organized by the delegation of the European Commission in collaboration with the embassy of the Netherlands. "We believe Pakistan is working very hard on this issue and we appreciate help that is being extended," said Dr Marcel Kurpershoek, ambassador of the Netherlands, characterizing Pakistan's ongoing cooperation with the UN nuclear watchdog, the IAEA, as "very good."

He made this statement in response to a question on the issue of nuclear non-proliferation that Dr Kurpershoek maintained was not just a EU concern but also a global concern.

The head of the EU delegation to Pakistan, ambassador IIkka Uusitalo, shared these views but hastened to add that EU's concern about nuclear non-proliferation was not just Pakistan-specific and that it was a general approach.

Dr Kurpershoek gave an evasive reply to a question on reports about EU's proposal of evolving some mechanism for continued cooperation with Pakistan on the non-proliferation issue.

He was equally evasive when asked to elaborate on the nature of "good cooperation", saying: "We want the good cooperation to continue and we will continue to monitor it."

Pointing out that as of July 1 his country will be serving as the first president of an enlarged EU with 25 member states, the Netherlands ambassador said in the field of foreign policy his country would give priority to the reforms debate of the United Nations, the mainstreaming of human rights, and non-proliferation considerations in the European common foreign and security policy.

"It will also aim at strengthening relations with South Asia, in particular Pakistan, after the successful conclusion of the Third Generation Agreement last week," he added.

Stating that the successful Saarc summit in Islamabad in January had given a new impetus to the vision of a prosperous, peaceful and stable subcontinent, he held out the assurance that the EU was committed to cooperating with Pakistan and other Saarc states in order to assist them "in turning this vision into reality."

Ambassador IIkka Uusitalo said Pakistan should exploit the better opportunities that a wider EU would offer. Pointing out that EU was already the largest trading partner for Pakistan, he said the scale of economic benefits for Pakistan depended largely on the Pakistani business community.

He asserted that EU would be playing an increasingly significant role in world affairs, particularly in conflict resolution, crisis management and in maintaining a more just world order.

In this context, he said EU has a deep interest in the peace and stability in South Asia and is encouraged by the closer cooperation between statesmen in the region.