ISLAMABAD, July 23 (APP): President Asif Ali Zardari on Thursday said that Pakistan with road links to China and rail and road links to India and Central Asia has a unique position for international trade and commerce. Talking to French  Minister of State for Foreign Trade Ms Anne Marrie Idrac, The President said Pakistan had the resources of   land, water and manpower and what it needed most was access to international market for its goods.

The French minister was accompanied by Daniel Jouanneau and President Sarkozi’s Special Representative for Afghanistan and  Pakistan, Thierry Mariani.

Minister for Commerce Makhdoom Amin Fahim, Deputy Chairman Planning Commission Sardar Aseef Ahmad Ali, Mr. Salman Faruqui, Secretary General, Ms Hina Rabbani Khar, Minister of State, Ms Sughra Imam, and Secretaries Foreign Affairs, Commerce and Railways also attended the meeting.

Talking to the journalists about the meeting, Spokesperson to the President former Senator Farhatullah Babar said the President told the French minister that in the past because of the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan and situation in the region, the security concerns had been emphasized more than social and human development.

He said that as a result of such policies Pakistan’s exports were barely 25 billion dollars a year today which should have been more than 100 billion dollars a year.

The President appreciated the French offer to deepen cooperation between the two countries during his recent visit to France.

Farhatullah Babar said that during President Zardari’s visit to France it was decided to conclude two framework agreements including an agreement dealing with economic and energy issues.

The President also expressed satisfaction at preliminary engagement on the framework agreements.

President Asif Ali Zardari said that he looked forward to President Sarkozi’s visit to Pakistan later this year to give practical shape to the upgradation of the relations between the two countries to the level of strategic partnership.

The President also appreciated that during his visit the France government expressed willingness to consider pragmatic cooperation in the field of civil nuclear technology.

President Asif Ali Zardari said that Pakistan’s strategic priority now was economic development for which it needed peace and stability in the region and was therefore focusing on improving ties with both India and Afghanistan.

France had a crucial role in supporting it, the President said.

The French Minister said that she looked forward to fruitful discussions with her Pakistani counterparts to further upgrade economic cooperation between the two countries.