Asean's Full Dialogue Partner status: Indonesia vows support to Pakistan

Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono on Monday assured Pakistan that it will discuss with all the members of the ASEAN to give Full Dialogue Partner status to Pakistan. During a meeting with Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani on the sidelines of the second Nuclear Security Summit here, both the leaders discussed various options to further promote and enhance bilateral relations in all fields.
Prime Minister Gilani informed the Indonesian President, "We recognise and fully appreciate that the consensus on Pakistan's membership to ARF during the ASEAN Ministerial Meeting emerged due to Indonesia's active support to our candidature." He said ASEAN achieved greater success under the leadership of Indonesia last year. Prime Minister Gilani also thanked Indonesia for extending support for Pakistan's request for Full Dialogue Partnership with ASEAN to further develop the collaboration with ASEAN in a more effective manner.
They discussed bilateral relations and both the countries agreed to further enhance and promote trade, economic and people to people ties. Pakistan and Indonesia enjoy historical, cultural and religious ties and the meeting will enhance these relations. Prime Minister said: "We are keen to strengthen our relations in all spheres." He said the phenomenal economic development achieved by Indonesia under the leadership of President Susilo Bambang is highly impressive.
He said the two countries have recently singed the Preferential Trade Agreement (PTA) and assured to Indonesian President that the volume of bilateral trade, would be increased substantially from the present one billion dollars. Gilani said Pakistan and Indonesia should more forward from PTA to Free Trade Agreement to further increase trade ties. Referring to the visit of President Susilo Bambang to Pakistan in 2005, the Prime Minister Gilani said it gave a new impetus to the bilateral relations.