Pakistani president to pay 3-day visit to France

Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari will pay a three-day visit to France from Sunday for wide ranging talks with French leadership on bilateral, regional and global issues, it was officially announced on Thursday.

This will be the second important engagement of the president with French leaders following his visit to Paris in May last year.

Zardari will exchange views with them on expanding relations in economic, trade and industry, science and technology and cultural fields.

Briefing newsmen in Islamabad, Foreign Office spokesman Abdul Basit said the two sides have been cooperating on counter- terrorism.

"France is also a valuable partner in the Friends of Democratic Pakistan process. As member of the Aid to Pakistan Consortium, France has been extending financial assistance to Pakistan since 1961," the spokesman said. The volume of bilateral trade stood at 1.1 billion dollars last year.

Replying to a question, the spokesman said program of the President's visit to Britain is being finalized and the dates would be announced at an appropriate time.

Source: Xinhua