BEIJING, June 7: President Asif Ali Zardari met his Chinese and Iranian counterparts here on Thursday on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit and discussed with them major energy projects.

During his meeting with Chinese President Hu Jintao, he proposed the setting up of an energy fund for hydropower and other mega projects, while Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad agreed with him to vigorously pursue the Iran-Pakistan gas pipeline plan and supply of electricity to Pakistan.

According to presidential spokesman Senator Farhatullah Babar, Mr Zardari told President Hu that Pakistan’s goal was closer economic integration with China.

He called for greater Chinese investment in infrastructure development and large energy projects, and called upon the Joint Energy Working Group of the two countries to find new ways in that regard.

The president called for Chinese investment in trans-regional economic projects, particularly in energy sector, among Pakistan, Afghanistan and China, and for raising the volume of bilateral trade to $15 billion by 2015. The trade between the two countries increased in 2011 to $10.6 billion from the previous year’s $ 8.6 billion.

President Zardari said the government was determined to taking relations in political, defence, security and economic spheres to “new heights” and his ninth visit to China was a manifestation of that policy.

He praised China’s help in overcoming the Attabad lake problem and said widening and upgrading of the Karakoram Highway and realignment of its segment impacted by the lake would enhance trade and people-to-people contacts.

He said he was “also grateful for China’s support in the aftermath of the Nato attacks on Pakistan’s border posts last November”.

He said Pakistan strongly opposed any attempt to undermine China’s sovereignty and territorial integrity and reiterated its full support on core issues, including its position on Taiwan, Tibet and Xinjiang.

He said Pakistan condemned the East Turkestan Islamic Movement and assured China of his fullest cooperation in countering the group.

The initiation of the China-Pakistan-Afghanistan dialogue was an important step, he said. Pakistan will continue to work closely with China for peace, stability and economic reconstruction in Afghanistan.

The president said Pakistan was trying to re-negotiate parameters of relationship with the United States in the light of parliamentary recommendations and it expected respect for its sovereignty and appreciation of its position on the red lines for participation in the war against terrorism.

Pakistan would strive to maintain engagement with the US to repair the relationship while upholding its sovereignty and national dignity, he said.

PAK-IRAN PROJECT: About President Zardari’s meeting with the Iranian leader, the spokesman said the two sides agreed to resolve urgently the issue of credit for the Iran-Pakistan gas pipeline so as to complete the project expeditiously.

The president said that in view of its energy crisis Pakistan looked forward to early completion of the project.

He emphasised the need for early completion of other projects such as construction of Nushki-Dalbandin road, upgrading the Quetta-Taftan railway track and the electricity project.

President Zardari assured his Iranian counterpart that Pakistani territory would never be allowed to be used against Iran.

President Ahmadinejad said Iran looked forward to his participation in the Non-Aligned Movement’s summit in his country as an important player and stakeholder of regional peace and stability.

The two leaders agreed that platforms such as the SCO had a critical role to play in promoting economic development in the region and jointly confronting the challenge of extremism and militancy.

They reiterated that the issue of drug trafficking needed to be addressed by the international community on a priority basis.

Senator Babar said the overall situation in the Middle East also came under discussion.—APP