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