- Pakistan and Malaysia aim for free-trade pact by December
- Will sign Early Harvest Programme in July
- Both agree on draft of anti-terrorism declaration
By Khalid Mustafa
PUTRAJAYA: Malaysia said on Thursday that it would work towards making Pakistan a full dialogue partner of the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) and Malaysian Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmed Badawi instructed his foreign minister to start mustering the support of all ASEAN members in this regard.
Addressing a press conference, Pakistani Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz said his Malaysian counterpart had supported making Pakistan a full dialogue partner of ASEAN during his one-on-one meeting with him (Badawi).
Both prime ministers addressed the conference 40 minutes after the one-on-one meeting followed by an hour-long meeting at the delegation level at the Malaysian prime minister’s Office at Putrajaya.
Shaukat Aziz also said, “After becoming a full dialogue partner, Pakistan will be able to penetrate the large ASEAN market.” The Malaysian prime minister said his Pakistani counterpart’s visit would provide the opportunity for more cooperation. He said both countries should also strengthen ties in areas such as aviation. “We hope that we will be able to have more flights between Malaysia and Pakistan. Malaysia Airlines is ready to go to Pakistan and we welcome PIA in Malaysia,” he said, referring to the national flag-carriers of both countries.
About the export of manpower to Malaysia, the Pakistani prime minister said Malaysia had decided to import a 1,000-strong labour force from Pakistan and the number of labourers would increase with the increasing demand in Malaysia’s private sector.
He also said Pakistan was targeting exporting about 100,000 people to work in several sectors of the Malaysian economy, which would help towards resolving the unemployment issue in Pakistan.
Shaukat Aziz said that to combat terrorism at the international level, both countries had agreed on the draft of the Declaration on Cooperation against Anti-Terrorism and Trans-national Crimes. However, the Malaysian cabinet would have to approve the draft before formally signing it, he added.
Pakistan and Malaysia also decided to finalise a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between themselves by December 2005, the Pakistani prime minister said, adding that however both countries would sign the Early Harvest Programme by July, 2005, by which both countries would extend each other zero duty on certain items that will make way for the FTA to be finalised by the end of 2005. He also said trade between both countries under the Early Harvest Programme would begin after an announcement by both governments in August.
Shaukat Aziz said a delegation of Malaysian experts was due in Islamabad later in May to finalise zero duty items under the Early Harvest Programme.
About his meeting with his Malaysian counterpart, Shaukat Aziz said they discussed UN reforms, defence cooperation and the initiative to increase the capacity building of Organisation of Islamic Conference (OIC) members to strengthen their economies and tackle other problems that OIC members were experiencing. However, he refused to give details of the meeting.
He said Pakistan was working for peace in the region and briefed the Malaysian prime minister about the country’s relations with India and Afghanistan and the efforts of the Pakistani government to maintain peace in the region. He said Pakistan had asked Malaysia to help resolve the Kashmir issue, which was the bone of contention between India and Pakistan.
Shaukat Aziz also said Pakistan was also looking for Comprehensive Economic Cooperation (CEC) with Malaysia. The CEC will cover cooperation in construction, real estate, agro-based technology, tourism and petroleum.
http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=story_6-5-2005_pg1_1
