ISLAMABAD, June 3: Foreign Minister Khurshid Mehmood Kasuri on Thursday said the endorsement by the US Congress of Bush Administration's proposal for making Pakistan a major non-Nato ally was a positive development.

He described the advantage of being declared a MNNA ally as symbolic. Talking to APP Kasuri said the designation as a MNNA had concrete advantages, particularly in the sphere of defence cooperation, including rapid and preferential processing of export licenses for a large number of defence items as well as cooperation in training.

He said the designation conveyed a message to every one that Pakistan enjoyed an important status among leading countries in the world, including the United States, who felt it useful to have regular engagement with Pakistan.

Mr Kasuri said during his meetings with various Congress leaders in the United States recently, he gathered the impression that Pakistan enjoyed bipartisan support in the Congress.

"The news did not come as a surprise to me," he said. When asked why the forces against Pakistan's designation of the MNNA status failed to make any impact, Mr Kasuri said "Pakistan today enjoyed great respect and prestige in the comity of nations."

He said it was also evident by the endorsement of the Third Generation Agreement by the European Parliament for ratification by the European Council, the recommendations of the senior officials for Pakistan to join the Asean Regional Forum (ARF), the readmission of Pakistan to the Council of the Commonwealth as well as Pakistan's recent elections to the Board of Governors of the International Atomic Energy Agency and Human Rights Commission in Geneva.

Mr Kasuri noted that the recent spate of foreign visitors from major countries of the world to Pakistan was also a recognition that Pakistan was conducting a responsible and effective foreign policy. -APP