ISLAMABAD, Oct 20: Italy has agreed to help Pakistan acquire GSP+ status with the European Union for 2009-2011.

An agreement reached between Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi and his Italian counterpart Franco Frattini on Monday would grant greater market access to Pakistani products in EU member countries.

Mr Frattini said Italy would use its influence for initiating Pakistan-EU Free Trade Agreement (FTA).

“Pakistan can count on Italy’s support in the EU at any time,” he said during the bilateral talks.

Addressing a press conference with the Italian foreign minister, Mr Qureshi said that during the talks he underlined the need for equitable market access to Pakistan in the EU through FTA and generalised system of preferences or GSP+ arrangement, which has a direct bearing on the country’s fight against poverty and extremism.

“I also reiterated the value we attach to Italy’s support in context of the EU,” he said.

Pakistan’s exports suffered massively because it could not qualify for the GSP+ for 2006-2008. Pakistan is the only South Asian country that does not have any preferential trade arrangement with the EU.

Mr Frattini told newsmen that Italy supported Pakistan’s efforts to combat terrorism, but without negotiating with militants.

“We do want Pakistan combating terrorism and fighting terrorists, not negotiating with them.”

He said that Italy’s political strategy was not to legitimise terrorists but eradicate terrorism from the society.

Italy, which is likely to take up G-8 presidency from January 2009, would work for greater collaboration between Pakistan and G-8 countries for the development of restive tribal areas bordering Afghanistan and establishing peace there.

“During its presidency Italy would organise a meeting of G-8 countries and neighbours of Pakistan and Australia to analyse situation in the border region with Afghanistan and help Islamabad deal with the situation,” Mr Frattini said during the talks.

One of the major objectives of Mr Frattini’s visit was to understand Pakistan’s perspective on regional security, especially Afghanistan and counter-terrorism.

Mr Frattini is the first G-8 foreign minister who has visited Pakistan after Mr Asif Ali Zardari took over as president.