Britain foresees close relations with Pakistan under Shaukat
Pakistan Times Foreign Desk

LONDON (England): Britain Tuesday said it was looking forward to further strengthen relations with Pakistan under the leadership of Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz who had "a very strong record of success" in improving economy of the country.

Welcoming his assumption of office as the newly elected Prime Minister on Saturday, British Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) Spokesman told in an interview here Tuesday that Shaukat Aziz had been successful in bringing economic stability.

"The new Prime Minister comes to the job with a very strong record of success in implementing a difficult process of reforms which has set the economy firmly on the path to stability and sustainable growth," said the FCO spokesman.

Pakistan, the spokesman said, was confronted with "significant challenges including from international terrorism." "We look forward to working with Prime Minister Aziz to continue our close cooperation with Pakistan on this and other priorities," said the spokesman.

Responding to another question the spokesman said Pakistan and Britain had very important trading relations and the UK was the biggest foreign investor in Pakistan and the 5th largest export market for Islamabad. "Under President Musharraf we have seen increasingly stable environment and that can only help to enhance trade further," said the spokesman.

Meanwhile according to the latest figures, the bilateral trade between the two countries is US $ 1.587 Billion. The bilateral trade between London and Islamabad has registered 15 per cent increase during last calendar year.

In the last two years, British Department for International Development's (DFID) co-operation with Pakistan has increased substantially. Last year it spent approximately 38 million pounds with a further 70 million pounds expected this year. DFID was strongly committed to supporting Islamabad's economic and social development with a programme to support the sustainable reduction of poverty.

Both the countries were enjoying good economic relations and with three more trade missions planned to visit Pakistan in near future, their ties were expected to expand further.●