Pakistan's PM Aziz to visit Teheran next week

[TomClash]

Four agreements to be signed with Iran


By Qudssia Akhlaque

ISLAMABAD, Feb 18: Pakistan and Iran will sign four important agreements, including the Additional Protocol to the existing Preferential Trade Agreement (PTA), during Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz's visit to Tehran next week , Dawn learnt through diplomatic sources.

<snip>

In Tehran, the prime minister is slated to have a round of talks each with Iranian President Seyed Mohammad Khatami and the vice-president on Feb 22. The following day he will call on the Iranian spiritual leader, Rahbar Seyed Ali Khameni. The premier's talks with the Iranian leaders would focus on bilateral relations as well as regional and global developments.

Given the US-Iran standoff over Tehran's nuclear programme and Pakistan's concern about it as an immediate neighbour of Iran, this is bound to top the talks agenda. Pakistan is against military action and has been advocating diplomatic solution to the issue.

Sources said the prime minister was expected to press the Iranian leadership to avoid confrontation just as it has been calling upon the US and other Western countries to give diplomacy a better chance. Pakistan supports the current engagement between Iran and EU-3 that is aimed at reaching a broad and amicable agreement with Iran.

(more)

http://www.dawn.com/2005/02/19/top6.htm