Foreign Secretary hope for good ties with the Russians. He has been paid visit to Moscow in the late Oct-Nov of 2002. 
Presidentâs Russia visit to promote ties: Khokhar
ISLAMABAD: Foreign Secretary Riaz Khokhar has expressed the hope that the forthcoming visit of President Pervez Musharraf to Russia will turn a new chapter in relations between the two countries.
Briefing journalists here on Saturday about the presidentâs three-day visit starting from Tuesday, the foreign secretary said Pakistan desires to begin a new era of friendship with Russia while burying the past differences. The foreign secretary said the two countries will at least sign four MoUs during the visit aimed at bolstering relations and improving economic ties.
He said Pakistan is interested in getting Russian cooperation for exploration of oil and gas. Khokhar said apart from discussing ways and means of improving bilateral relations, President Pervez Musharraf and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin will also discuss the issue of debt-servicing ranging between $75 and $80 million.
Replying to a question on the nuclear issues, the foreign secretary said the president would tell his Russian counterpart that Pakistan is an extremely responsible country, which has complete confidence and capacity to take care of its nuclear assets.
Khokhar expressed dissatisfaction with the current level of trade relations between the two countries and said this remains a weak point. He said the total volume of two-way trade stood at $77 million and that, too, was heavily in favour of Russia.
He said that there was need on the part of Pakistan for increasing its exports as the private sector in Russia was now opening up and tremendous potential exists for Pakistani entrepreneurs.
âAs President Musharraf responded positively to Putinâs invitation to act as facilitator in setting up a meeting between the Pakistan and Indian leaders at Almaty, this left a deep impression on the Russian President.â
The invitation to President Musharraf was renewed in the recent past which was gladly accepted by Pakistan, he said. Khokhar said that President Musharraf was going to Moscow with âa positive attitude and frame of mindâ and the two leaders, during their one-to-one meeting and later to be joined by members of the delegation, would focus on bilateral relations and hopefully start a new chapter on Pak-Russian ties. âThere would be no fixed agenda but the discussions are likely to centre on the situation in South Asia, Afghanistan, Iraq and nuclear issues.â
Answering a question, he expressed the hope that improvement in Pakistan-Russia relations would not, in any way, affect Pakistanâs friendly ties with the US and China. âWe hope this visit will lead to positive understanding both in Washington and Beijing. In fact, both the US and China desire that Pakistan have good relations with Russia as well,â he said.
The president would be accompanied by Finance Adviser to the PM Shaukat Aziz, Commerce Minister Humayun Akhtar Khan, Foreign Secretary, Secretary of Petroleum and Natural Resources, Defence Secretary and Secretary, Economic Affairs.
Three MoUs agreement along with Privtization looks great.
Musharraf to sign 3 MoUs in Russia visit
ISLAMABAD: President General Pervez Musharraf will in his four-day visit to Russia sign three Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs), on the Pakistan Steel Mill (PSM), two power projects and the purchase of 1,500 bulldozers. The president will also discuss the privatisation of the OGDCL, PPL, SNGPL and SSGCL with Russian authorities.
A source told Daily Times Pakistan would sign an MoU with Russian company TPZ, which would install more processing equipment in the PSM. The purchase of 1,500 Russian bulldozers, worth $90 million, is aimed at improving agricultural productivity.
âIn addition, Pakistan would seek Russian assistance in initiating a 70 to 100 MW coal fired thermal power project at Thar, and an 80 to 100 MW hydropower project whose location is yet to be finalized, the source said. We have the asked presidentâs secretariat to discuss the privatisation of the OGDCL, PPL, SNGPL and SSGCL with the Russian authorities, an official at the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Resources said. The ministry has briefed the president of the areas in the petroleum sector that he could discuss with the Russians. The official said Russian help could be obtained in a joint exploration of oil and gas as Russian scientist had thorough knowledge of Pakistanâs geology and hydrocarbon potential.
The president is scheduled to reach Moscow on February 4.
Total four accords are likely to be signed between Pakistan and Russia.
Pakistan, Russia to sign four accords: Musharrafâs visit
ISLAMABAD, Feb 1: **Pakistan and Russia are likely to sign four agreements during the forthcoming three-day state visit of President Gen Pervez Musharraf to Moscow from Feb 4. **
Briefing journalists who will accompany the president to Moscow, foreign secretary Riaz Khokar on Saturday described the visit as historic and said Pakistan hoped now to write an entirely new book on relations with Russia.
âWe would like to forget the past which saw many ups and downs in our relations which at times bordered on extreme animosity between the two and begin a new chapter, indeed, a new book in our relations,â the foreign secretary said.
Giving a brief outline of the four accords that will be signed in Moscow by the two countries, Mr Khokar said the **first would be between the interior ministries of the two countries covering issues pertaining to immigration and visas, the second would take care of the long-standing dispute over the exchange rate for calculating the debt Pakistan owed to Russia, the third on rescheduling this debt, and the fourth would be a cultural exchange accord.
President Musharraf and President Vladimir Putin will have a one-hour one-on-one meeting around noon on Feb 5. The two would be assisted by one aide each along with interpreters.
No agenda has been fixed for this meeting and the two leaders are expected to take up any issue that they would consider important enough for bilateral summit discussions. **
Mr Khokar believed the two leaders could use the opportunity to exchange views on tensions in South Asia, particularly with reference to Indo-Pakistan relations and the issue of Kashmir, the Afghanistan situation, developments on Iraq and the nuclear matters.
**The Musharraf-Putin meeting will be followed by a formal discussion between the delegations of the two countries, with the two leaders heading their respective delegations. The accords already agreed on will then be signed, and thereafter the two presidents will call in press for a brief question-answer session, with each taking no more than three questions.
Gen Musharraf will address the Russian investors in the evening which will be followed by a dinner hosted by the Pakistan embassy. He would also give exclusive interviews to CNN and the Russian state TV and hold a full-dress press conference. **
Answering a question, Mr Khokar said that President Musharraf would try to set at rest the apprehensions of President Putin about Pakistanâs nuclear designs and assure him that as a responsible member of the international community, it would not even think of supplying nuclear technology to other countries.
He said President Musharraf would also try to allay the Russian concerns about Pakistanâs position on Chechnya. **âWe consider it to be an internal matter and would like it to be resolved peacefully and like any other country in the world we are, however, concerned about human rights violations there.â **
In his meeting with Russian investors, the President is expected to invite them to invest in Pakistanâs oil and gas sector, **âof which they have ample experience.â **
He is also likely to discuss the possibility of getting Russian assistance in expanding the capacity of the Karachi Steel Mills to make it economically more viable.
**Gen Musharraf will also do some sightseeing during his visit, see a performance at the Bolshoi theatre and lay a wreath at the monument of the unknown soldier. **
A rare visit stirring up hopes
ISLAMABAD: President General Pervez Musharraf undertakes the first-ever visit to Moscow, a journey that Pakistanâs top leaders have rarely embarked upon, leaving Pakistan-Russia relations in a shambles.
However, Musharraf is going to Moscow with high hopes - in the words of Foreign Secretary Riaz Khokhar, âto write a new book on Pakistan-Russia relations.â Indeed, this is a genuine desire of Pakistan during the presidentâs âhistoricâ trip.
**one of these accords would be between the interior ministries of the two countries covering issues pertaining to immigration and visas, the second would take care of the long-standing dispute over the exchange rate for calculating the debt Pakistan owed to Russia, the third on rescheduling of this debt, and the fourth would be a cultural exchange accord.
But still these are significant when viewed in the perspective that a beginning is being made to put the relations on the track to grow fast.**
