PM confident M’sia-Pakistan FTA will be sealed year-end
Bernama, Malaysia
PM Confident M’sia-Pakistan FTA Will Be Sealed Year-End
5 May 2005
PUTRAJAYA, May 5 (Bernama)—Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi is confident the proposed Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between Malaysia and Pakistan will be sealed by the end of the year.
Negotiations on the FTA were "progressing very well", he told a joint press conference with his Pakistani counterpart, Shaukat Aziz at his office, here Thursday.
Shaukat who is leading a 25-member delegation, is in Malaysia for a three-day official visit beginning Thursday.
The free trade pact was first agreed upon between both leaders during Abdullah’s visit to Islamabad in February this year.
At the press conference, the Malaysian premier described the one-and-a-half-hour meeting between Malaysian and Pakistani ministers today as successful, as it paved the way to closer co-operation between the two countries.
"I regard this (as successful) as there are some follow-ups to the bilateral meetings that we had in Islamabad in February. The meeting (in Islamabad) was a successful one. I recall many decisions that we have made in the spirit of friendship," he said.
He said today’s bilateral meeting also allowed both sides to give their views on the previous meeting in Islamabad.
Besides trade, Malaysia also pledged to extend closer cooperation with Pakistan in various sectors, among others, in tourism, information technology, communication, science and technology and aviation.
Malaysia, he said, also hoped that both sides could collaborate and tap opportunities offered in their respective countries in the agricultural sector.
On the international level, he said Malaysia welcomed Pakistan’s decision to join Asean as a dialogue partner, describing the move as timely.
At the same time, both sides would also work together under the auspices of the Organisation of Islamic Conference (OIC) given the large number of projects which were being handled by the international body, he said.
The Pakistani premier had also been informed on the launching of OIC’s capacity building programmes, for which Pakistan is also involved.
On aviation, Abdullah said Malaysia hoped to have more connecting flights from Kuala Lumpur to Islamabad, noting that Malaysia Airlines "is ready to go to Pakistan, and we will welcome Pakistan through PIA (Pakistan International Airlines) to come to Malaysia anytime."
He said the Malaysian national carrier "would be very happy" to extend its assistance to PIA if the latter decides to revive flights between Malaysia and Pakistan.
Abdullah also noted that both countries expressed satisfaction with the progress made in their co-operation in the financial services sector, mainly banking. Malaysia also reaffirmed its commitment to respond to Pakistan’s request to supply its labour force here, said Abdullah.
Home Affairs Minister, Datuk Azmi Khalid was in Pakistan recently to discuss "various matters and proceedings regarding the employment of workers from Pakistan", he said.
On Shaukat’s visit, which is expected to enhance bilateral ties, Abdullah said that Malaysia had prepared a programme, which would give ample opportunities for the delegation to meet local leaders and industry captains.
Friday, Shaukat is scheduled to attend and present a keynote address at a Malaysia-Pakistan business and economic forum organised by the Asean Strategic Leadership Institute (ASLI).
— BERNAMA
