By NNN-APP
Islamabad : President Pervez Musharraf will embark upon an eight day visit to Belgium, France, Switzerland and the United Kingdom from Sunday next to further enhance cooperation in various fields including commercial, economic, trade and defence with these countries.
The President will be accompanied by members of the caretaker cabinet and senior officials during this visit, said the Foreign Office spokesman Muhammad Sadiq in his weekly briefing.
President Musharraf will meet European Union leaders in Brussels, at the EU headquarters including Javier Solana. He will also address the European Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee, said the spokesman.
The spokesman said the President’s talks with EU leaders would cover the entire spectrum of bilateral relations with emphasis on exploring ways and means to further enhance cooperation in various fields including commercial, economic, trade and defence.
“The EU is the largest trading partner with the overall annual volume of trade worth 9 billion dollars and also the largest foreign investor and development cooperation partner,” said the spokesman.
He said the President’s engagements in Brussels would also include talks with Belgian Prime Minister Guy Vehhofstadt aimed at promoting understanding and cooperation.
He will also address the Pakistani community, business leaders and a Brussels based think tank, he added.
The spokesman said President Musharraf will visit France on Monday and Tuesday next. His programme would include talks with President Sarkozy besides addressing French business leaders, the Pakistani community and representative of a think tank.
During the visit to Davos, the President will attend the annual meeting of the World Economic Forum from 23rd to 25th of this month, he added.
The Spokesman said theme of this year’s meeting in Davos is “The Power of Collaborative Innovation”. The President will also meet a number of political and corporate leaders in Davos on the sidelines of the WEF.
During his visit to the UK from Jan 26th to 28th, the President will meet British Prime Minister Gordon Brown. He will also address the Pakistan community and business leaders in UK.
Replying to a question the spokesman said the focus of the President’s engagements during his visit abroad would be bilateral relations but he will also exchange views on the issue of terrorism.
About possibility of President’s meeting with the Indian Prime Minister in Davos, the spokesman said the President’s engagements in Davos are being finalized.
Answering to another question about understanding developed between China and India during Dr. Manmohan Singh’s visit to Beijing, he said Pakistan has time tested friendship with China and Pak-China bilateral and strategic relations could not be affected by any third country.
The spokesman said Pakistan and China have deep rooted ties in defence, security, economic and political fields. He said Pakistan and China have strong convergence of views on regional and global issues and Chinese emergence as a major power is a factor for regional and global peace.
The spokesman told a questioner that Pakistan’s nuclear assets are completely safe and it is Pakistan’s responsibility to keep them safe and nobody’s else’s.
He said any action by foreign force without Pakistan’s permission and involvement will be considered as an enemy act and treated like that.
The spokesman clarified that Pakistan’s cooperation in the war against terror is within certain parameters including intelligence sharing, training, technical assistance and provision of equipment and armaments.
Answering another question he said Pakistan has assured the Afghan Government that its wheat and flour requirements will be met but this would be done on Government to Government basis and not through private sector. He said Pakistan will also provide transit facility to Afghanistan if it decides to import wheat from any other country.
About President Bush’s remarks regarding Iran during his Middle East tour, the spokesman said the region has already suffered a lot and there should not be further escalation in any form that could increase their sufferings.
Replying to a question about reports regarding US journalist Nicholas Schmidal, the spokesman said, he was not deported and he went back on his own volition.
He pointed out that Nicholas was never issued a journalist visa but was here on a research assignment. Nicholas visited areas of militants’ activities without knowledge of Pakistani authorities and met individuals having links with terrorists, he added.
He was first asked to leave but he sought two month’s stay which was granted and he left during this period.