President Asif Ali Zardari Thursday said that Pakistan with road links to China and rail and road links to India and Central Asia has a unique position for international trade and commerce.
Talking to French Minister of State for Foreign Trade Anne Marrie Idrac, The President said Pakistan had the resources of land, water and manpower and what it needed most was access to international market for its goods.
The French minister was accompanied by Daniel Jouanneau and President Sarkozi's Special Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan, Thierry Mariani.
Minister for Commerce Makhdoom Amin Fahim, Deputy Chairman Planning Commission Sardar Aseef Ahmad Ali, Salman Faruqui, Secretary General, Hina Rabbani Khar, Minister of State, Sughra Imam, and Secretaries Foreign Affairs, Commerce and Railways also attended the meeting.
Talking to the journalists about the meeting, spokesperson to the President former Senator Farhatullah Babar said President told the French minister that in the past because of the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan and situation in the region, the security concerns had been emphasized more than social and human development.
He said that as a result of such policies Country's exports were barely 25 billion dollars a year today which should have been more than 100 billion dollars a year.
The President appreciated the French offer to deepen cooperation between the two countries during his recent visit to France.
The President also expressed satisfaction at preliminary engagement on the framework agreements.