Britain's Prince Charles met Pakistan's president and prime minister on Monday as the heir to the British throne kicked off his first visit to this South Asian country. The five-day trip has been billed by British and Pakistan officials as a bid to boost bilateral cultural, economic and education relations as well as promote Charles' efforts to strengthen interfaith dialogue. Accompanied by his wife Camilla, the Duchess of Cornwall, Charles first visited Gen. Pervez Musharraf, Pakistan's president, on Monday before traveling to the residence of Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz. Charles and Camilla shook hands with Aziz, who led them into a meeting with Pakistani Cabinet officials. Neither Charles nor Aziz spoke with reporters, but officials for both said the men held positive talks aimed at furthering British-Pakistani ties. «It is an important visit, which is less political and more cultural,» Information Minister Mohammed Ali Durrani told reporters. «This will increase contacts between the two countries.»
