Posted on 09/15/2006 11:29:12 PM PDT by jdm
HAVANA, Sept. 15 (APP): President General Pervez Musharraf and his Iranian counterpart met Friday on the sidelines of the NAM summit to discuss bilateral and regional issues as President Ahmedinajad invited the Pakistani leader to visit Tehran to discuss the progress on the proposed multi-billion dollar gas pipeline project.
The two leaders during their meeting discussed the pricing issue for the gas to be supplied from Iran to Pakistan and possibly to India.
Both the leaders expressed satisfaction over the appointment of consultant on the issue of gas pricing.
"The Iranian President has invited President Musharraf on this (gas) issue," Foreign Minister Khurshid M. Kasuri told reporters after the meeting.
However, he said President Musharraf suggested that it would be a better idea if he were invited after the consultant had submitted the report on the gas pricing.
Kasuri said, the Iranian leader also indicated he would like to invite the Indian Prime Minister Manmonhan Sing at that stage for discussion on the gas pricing issue.
President Musharraf and the Iranian leader also discussed the ongoing talks on Iran's nuclear programme as President Musharraf noted with satisfaction the progress on the issue.
Referring to his recent visit to Brussels, President Musharraf said during his meetings with the leaders of the European Union, they expressed satisfaction that the dialogue with Iran seemed to be making progress.
President Musharraf said Pakistan was very happy with it as Iran was a brotherly country and Islamabad had always tried, during its talks with the US, the European Union and Iran, to see a peaceful resolution to the issue.
The President said Pakistan has always opposed the use of force and supports the negotiated settlement of the issue as it is also in the interest of the region.
In the field of economic cooperation, the two leaders agreed on the need for further expansion of economic and trade ties between their countries.
The Pakistan-Iran Joint Economic Commission which met in Islamabad in May this year had discussed various proposals to promote trade and commercial ties.
I already would not like to be Musharraf's life insurance carrier. If he were to make the trip I'd cancel that policy pronto.
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