Musharraf discusses Kashmir, terrorism with Singaporean PM

ISLAMABAD: President General Pervez Musharraf and Singaporean Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong discussed wide-ranging bilateral issues on Tuesday. The visiting prime minister supported Pakistan’s close interaction with the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) countries.

The two leaders also agreed to increase bilateral interaction to boost trade and economic cooperation. President Musharraf and the Singaporean prime minister also held a one-on-one meeting, exchanging views on a host of bilateral, regional and international issues. Prime Minister Goh Tong told the president that Singapore would support Pakistan’s efforts to integrate closely with the ASEAN processes.

The Singaporean leader said that as this interaction proceeded he envisaged that Pakistan would enjoy summit-level dialogue status with ASEAN.

President Musharraf said Pakistan was looking forward to becoming a full-dialogue partner of ASEAN. The Singaporean prime minister was also supportive of efforts to have closer relations between the SAARC and the ASEAN region. President Musharraf welcomed the Singaporean leader’s offer to start negotiations for a bilateral free trade agreement.

The two leaders also agreed on the need to hold regular talks between the foreign ministries, which would also cover economic trade and information technology issues. They also discussed the regional situation, focusing on the situation in East Asia as well as South Asia.

President Musharraf briefed Prime Minister Tong about Pakistan’s position on Kashmir and the importance of a fair resolution of the dispute. app

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