ON BOARD PRESIDENT’S AIRCRAFT, June 20: President General Pervez Musharraf has described his visit to Australia and New Zealand as extremely successful and vowed to build on worldwide recognition of his efforts for global peace to draw investment into Pakistan, facilitate higher education and improve the country’s image internationally.

“The visit has resulted in favourable understanding of our policies, particularly Pakistan’s efforts against terror to make the world a safer place to live in — both the Australian and New Zealand leaderships have assured of their cooperation in our socio-economic development — so it was a successful visit from all accounts, political, diplomatic and economic,” he said.

President Musharraf told the accompanying media team while flying back home after six-day visit to the Pacific region that it was his earnest desire that he translate the acknowledgement of his efforts for world peace into Pakistan’s achievements in the field of economy and education.

“My endeavours are geared to use the goodwill and international acceptance of our counter-terror role for attracting foreign investment for sustained high growth and poverty reduction — I will also focus on facilitating higher education for the new generation.

“At the same time, I will strive to use the goodwill to bolster Pakistan’s image as we are a victim of misperceptions, while we are a moderate and progressive country.

“I am glad that this is happening as the world is perceptive and responsive to our actions against terrorism, focus on socio-economic development and our tackling the malaise of extremism,” said the President, who was paid rich tributes by both the prime ministers, John Howard and Helen Clark, in Australia and New Zealand.

During the visit, Australia and New Zealand agreed to offer 700 post-graduate scholarships for Pakistani students in their institutions of higher learning.

“This is a breakthrough for our younger generation,” he said.

New Zealand, he said, has agreed to explore ways for extending cooperation in dairy farming, livestock farming, agriculture research, yield intensification and food and fruit processing.

“This will be a great stride towards reducing poverty in rural areas, where 70 per cent of the country’s population lives — we will be able to make effective use of water management, intensify production and bring more jobs to the people in agrarian areas.”

Commenting on Australian Prime Minister Howard’s conforming to his views for greater trade between the industrialized nations and the developing countries, the president said it is a matter of satisfaction that the world has recongized Pakistan’s call for adopting a strategy of enlightened moderation.

“Pakistan has clearly impressed upon the world that it is for world peace, I believe that the international community is responding positively to the strategy of enlightened moderation under which the West has to resolve political disputes affecting the Muslims with justice and the Muslim countries have to reject extremism for its socio-economic development.”

In response to a question about his counter-terror role bringing out rare harmony of views between the Australian prime minister and the Opposition Leader Kim Beazley, Gen Musharraf observed that in developed democracies, the leaders put national interests ahead of political considerations.

Referring to his numerous interactions with the media, the president said he used these to remove misperceptions about Pakistan’s position on various subjects.—APP