April 03, 2008	Thursday	Rabi-ul-Awwal 25, 1429

ISLAMABAD, April 2: Britain will strive for an early meeting of the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group to end Pakistan’s suspension from the Commonwealth council, British Foreign Secretary David Miliband told Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi on Wednesday.

Mr Miliband had called Mr Qureshi to congratulate him on assumption of office.

The Commonwealth had suspended Pakistan’s membership on Nov 23, 2007, after President Pervez Musharraf did not lift emergency.

Now that democracy had been restored in Pakistan after credible elections, Britain hoped that Pakistan would continue to play its leading role as an important regional player, Mr Miliband said.

The British foreign secretary said he planned to visit Pakistan by the end of April. He also invited Mr Qureshi to London.

Mr Qureshi said Pakistan valued its cordial relations with the UK. “British investment, economic assistance and bilateral trade are important for Pakistan,” he said, adding the two countries were also partners in war against terrorism.

Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi also called the foreign minister and expressed the hope that bilateral relations would be strengthened.