Foreign Minister Khurshid Mahmood Kasuri has said that his meetings with Premier Wen Jiabao and Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing were very productive and successful, as both the sides agreed on the need of strengthening economic underpinning to their existing very strong political and defense relationship. In an interview with The Associated Press of Pakistan (APP) at the end of his official visit to Beijing he said his tour was a success, reflecting the feelings of the close brotherhood and friendship between Pakistan and China. Kasuri said that he was touched by the fact that the Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao during his meeting on Tuesday has particularly recalled memorable visit to Pakistan and felt the sort of affection he had received. During his meeting with Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing, he thanked for the singular honour being the first foreign leader provided opportunity to visit the China's highly safeguarded space facilities. Kasuri said that Premier Wen Jiabao during his meeting remarked not many leaders in China had been allowed to visit that space facility. The fact that he was allowed to visit the China's top facility in space exploration was an indication of the closeness of the relations between the two countries, he said. Khurshid Kasuri expressed the hope that during the upcoming visit of Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz, the process for cooperation for peaceful use of space would be carried further. He said that during his meetings with the Premier and the Foreign Minister Li Zhaozing both was agreed to strengthen economic underpinnings to their very strong political and defense relationship. Both sides reiterated their conviction, implementation of 5-year Economic and Trade Programme, the Free Trade Agreement and the Joint Investment Company. These accords were the landmark documents and would pave the ground for further Chinese investment in major projects in Pakistan. He said that both the sides felt that during the last 2-3 years the relationships which were always very close in various areas had acquired a new momentum in the economic sector.
