Bangladesh Foreign Secretary Hemayatuddin has met President General Pervez Musharraf and discussed bilateral relations, says an official statement. Musharraf said Pakistan attaches high priority to relations with Bangladesh both in the bilateral context and in the framework of regional cooperation. The president emphasized the need to augment economic, trade, cultural, educational and defense ties between the two countries. Musharraf told Hemayatuddin that Pakistan is looking forward to attend the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation or SAARC summit in November in Dhaka. The president offered Pakistan's full cooperation in steering the SAARC process forward which was rejuvenated at the Islamabad Summit in 2004. The Bangladesh foreign secretary conveyed to the president greetings and best wishes of the President and the Prime Minister of Bangladesh. He renewed the invitation for Pakistan's participation in the 13th SAARC Summit at Dhaka. Hemayatuddin is visiting Pakistan for the third round of Pakistan-Bangladesh annual Foreign Secretary-level bilateral consultations.
