07/10/2008
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Gilani looks to France for energy needs
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‘Nato forces not to challenge our sovereignty’
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani expressed the hope that France will extend its assistance to Pakistan in use of nuclear technology for meeting its energy requirements.
The Prime Minister said this while talking to Admiral Edouard Guillaud, Military Joint Chiefs of Staff to President of France, who called on him at the Prime Minister House Monday morning.
Gilani welcomed the French statements that every country has the right to use nuclear energy for peaceful civilian purposes. The Prime Minister said Pakistan attaches high importance to its relations with France which is among its leading trading and development partner in the EU.
He urged that the strategic consultations between the two countries should soon be resumed to take this relationship to new heights.
The Prime Minister stressed that Pakistan is seeking greater market access to the EU, preferably in the form of a Free Trade Agreement (FTA), especially since the EU has started FTA negotiations with India and all other countries in South Asia. Leaving out Pakistan in trade talks is discriminatory, he added. While referring to President Asif Ali Zardari's recent useful meeting with President Sarkozi in New York on the sidelines of the 63rd UN General Assembly meeting, the Prime Minister welcomed President Sarkozi's initiative to broaden the scope of engagement with Pakistan and further expanding the multifaceted ties. He hoped that President Sarkozi would visit Pakistan by the end of this year.
The Prime Minister noted that the bilateral defense cooperation between Pakistan and France has progressed satisfactorily and Pakistan now has the largest worldwide fleet of Mirage III and V aircrafts.
He appreciated the French assistance for assembling the Agosta submarine in Pakistan and expressed the hope that this cooperation will be expanded further in the future.
Prime Minister also briefed the French delegation in detail about Pakistan's efforts on war against terrorism and welcomed President Sarkozi's stance that incursion of US and NATO forces in Pakistan's territory will be a counter productive.
While conveying his gratitude to the Prime Minister for receiving his delegation, Admiral Edouard Guillaud reiterated his government's policy of respecting the territorial integrity and sovereignty. He said France wanted its relations with Pakistan to be back on track. French troops were in Afghanistan to help Pakistan and not as substitute to Pakistan's
forces fighting against terror on their soil, he added.
He agreed with the Prime Minister that a stable and peaceful Afghanistan was in Pakistan's interest and stated that France wanted a strong democratic dispensation in Afghanistan to defeat the menace of extremism and terrorism in the region.
Federal Minister for Defense Ahmed Mukhtar also attended the meeting.
Online adds: The Prime Minister telephoned Polish Prime Minister and assured him the early recovery of kidnapped Polish Engineer.
The Prime Minister informed his Polish counterpart about steps taken by the government to recover the Polish Engineer and assured him that the security for foreigners has been intensified.
Prime Minister Gilani has asked NATO forces not to challenge the sovereignty of Pakistan by saying that no foreign interference would be tolerated at Pakistan's borders areas. - APP
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