President assures China of security of its citizens

ISLAMABAD: President Asif Ali Zardari on Thursday assured China that Pakistan would take all necessary measures to ensure security of the Chinese nationals, who are working on different projects in the country.

Ambassador of China to Pakistan Jiang Zaidong called on the president at Aiwan-e-Sadr on Thursday.

According to official announcement of the President House, the meeting discussed matters of mutual interest, besides underscoring the need to increase counter-terrorism cooperation and intelligence sharing to overcome the menace of terrorism.

Meanwhile, in a meeting with Russian Ambassador in Islamabad Albert P Khorev, who called on him here, President Zardari said that Pakistan desired to enhance bilateral cooperation with Russia, particularly in the fields of energy and barter trade. The president emphasised that Russian banks should be persuaded to launch their operations in Pakistan to promote bilateral trade.

He also called for strengthening cultural linkages between Pakistan and Russia particularly in the fields of TV and films industries. He conveyed his message of felicitation to Russian President Vladimir Putin on his re-election and expressed good wishes for him. He expressed the hope that under Putin’s leadership, Russia would achieve swift development besides promoting regional peace.

Zardari also expressed condolence over the death of 130 people in a terrorist attack took place on March 22 in Moscow.

Ambassador Albert Khorev told the president that Russia desired to play its part in the economic development and prosperity of Pakistan and that both countries were cooperating on mutual issues like anti-terrorism and drugs trafficking. The ambassador said that Russia desired to double the existing volume of bilateral trade with Pakistan.

He thanked President Zardari for expressing condolence over the deaths in March 22 terrorist attack in the Russian capital. The envoy also felicitated the president on assuming the office.