Pakistani,Iranian officials discuss pipeline, economic cooperation

Islamabad, July 17 (UNI) Senior Pakistani and Iranian officials concluded their two-day talks here today, which focused on ways to promote cooperation in economic, political, energy and commercial fields.

''During the talks, the two sides noted with satisfaction the steady and substantial growth in the bilateral relations in the political, economic and commercial fields and especially the growing cooperation between the two countries in the energy sector,'' foreign office spokeswoman Tasnim Aslam said here today.

Aditional Foreign Secretary Khalid Khattak and his Iranian counterpart Dr. Mehdi Safari led their respective delegations at the Second Round of Pakistan-Iran bilateral consultations.

The first round of the dialogue between the two Foreign Ministries was held at Tehran in March.

During the talks, the two sides held detailed discussions over bilateral subjects and on regional and international matters of mutual interest.

Deputy Foreign Minister Safari also called on Foreign Secretary Riaz Mohammad Khan and Foreign Minister Khurshid M. Kasuri and discussed bilateral cooperation in commercial and economic fields and especially on the IPI Gas Pipeline Project.

Regional and international subjects especially the situation in Afghanistan also came up in the talks.

Both Pakistan and Iran reiterated their shared desire for restoration of peace and stability in Afghanistan and expressed their resolve to continue to assist Afghanistan towards that end, Ms Aslam said.

UNI