Date : 21/04/2004
KUN0027 4 GEN 0401 KUWAIT /KUNA-FVQ9
POL-JAMALI-ASIA-VISIT
Pakistani Premier begins trip to South-East Asian countries
ISLAMABAD, April 21 (KUNA) -- Pakistani Prime Minister Mir Zafarullah Khan
Jamali embarked on 9-day visit to four South East Asian countries on Wednesday
to hold talks with the leaders and address investment and economic
conferences.
The Prime Minister during his nine-day trip will visit Laos, Cambodia and
Thailand as well as address the BOAO Economic Forum for Asia in Hainan, China,
and an Investment Conference in Hong Kong, according to Foreign Ministry
statement.
The Prime Minister will visit Vietnam, Laos from 21 to 23 April, address
the BOAO Economic Forum for Asia on 24 April, address the Investment
Conference in Hong Kong on 26 April, visit Phnom Penh, Cambodia on 27-28 April
and Bangkok, Thailand from 28-30 April, the statement said.
The BOAO Forum for Asia has emerged as an important platform to deliberate
issues of economic growth and development in the Asia-Pacific region as well
as global economic scenario. The prime Minister will be the keynote speaker at
the Forum and contribute to the theme, "Asia Searching for Win-Win, Open to
the World". President Hu Jintao of China and other world leader are expected
to attend this
forum.
In Hong Kong the prime minister will address an investment and Business
conference that has been organized by the Board of investment. He will also be
meeting the Pakistani expatriate community.
It said, "the Prime Ministers visit to Laos and Cambodia is of historic
being the first of a Head of Government from Pakistan to these important South
East Asian countries".
"The prime Ministers visit to South East Asia is a major step towards the
realization of Pakistans vision East Asia that essentially envisages building
strong cooperative ties with South East Asia states, ASEAN and associate
closely with the important regional processes in the broader Asia-Pacific
region," the statement said.
Pakistans decision to accede the Treaty of Amity and cooperation in South
East Asia, join the ASEAN Regional Forum, and establish Full Dialogue
partnership with ASEAN, are also indicative of Pakistans desire e to promote
peaceful cooperation, economic growth and development.
The prime Ministers visit will contribute immensely towards strengthening
of cooperation links with this important region, it concluded. (end)
amn.bz.
KUNA 211226 Apr 04NNNN