ISLAMABAD, Dec 21: Pakistan and Austria have agreed to finalize two agreements - avoidance of double taxation and investment promotion-at the earliest. An official announcement said that the understanding reached in a meeting of Pakistan's Commerce Minister Humayun Akhtar Khan with Austrian Federal Minister for Economics and Labour, Dr Martin Barbenstein at Vienna.

Both the sides discussed and agreed to finalize the agreement on Avoidance of Double Taxation and agreement on Investment Protection. During the meeting a detailed discussion was held about the next ministerial round of WTO negotiations to be held at Hong Kong.

Dr Barbenstein applauded the moderating and constructive role played by Pakistan in the WTO negotiations. The Austrian minister was of the view that Pakistan's role in furthering Doha Development Agenda and bridging the differences amongst the WTO member states was worth appreciating.