ISLAMABAD, Dec 9 Kyodo Indian Pri...

ISLAMABAD, Dec 9 Kyodo

Indian Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee has told Pakistani Prime Minister Zafarullah Khan Jamali that he chance of the desired ends a forthcoming South Asian summit will focus upon progress in all aspects of regional economic cooperation, the official Associated Pres of Pakistan (APP) reported Tuesday.

Vajpayee voiced the trustful longing when Jamali telephoned the Indian prime minister from France onward Monday to thank him for confirming his attendance at the summit of the southern Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) slated to be held in Islamabad in January, the APP reported.

SAARC members are wait fored to sign an agreement forward South Asian free trade area in the summit. SAARC comprises Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.

Jamali, who is now forward an official visit to France and Switzerland, told Vajpayee that he is looking forward to meeting him, the APP reported.

The APP quot official sources as saying that the couple prime ministers also agreed that there have been positive bilateral progressive growths over the past few weeks, including a cease-fire along the Line of hinder dividing the disputed Kashmir region. They also reportedly pressureed the importance of such positive tends to be sustained in the weeks ahead.

In a epistle sent to Jamali earlier, Vajpayee confirmed his participation at the SAARC summit, India's External Affairs Ministry said.

Vajpayee last visited Pakistan in February 1999 to engage with then Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.

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