Pakistan's President General Pervez Musharraf has welcomed the signing of the Framework Agreement on Economic Cooperation between Pakistan and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). During a meeting with GCC Secretary General Abdul Rahman Bin Hamad Al-Attiyah, the president expressed the hope that it would promote economic cooperation, exchange of information in various economic fields and encourage necessary technical cooperation between them. According to an official statement, Musharraf said Pakistan's relations with the GCC member countries constitute an essential pillar of its foreign policy. "These are nurtured by mutual trust and confidence that have stood the test of time," he added. The president said the just signed agreement envisages expanding and liberalizing trade including initiating discussions on the feasibility of a Free Trade Area between the parties.
