Chinese Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing on Tuesday congratulated his Pakistani counterpart Mian Khurshid Mahmood Kasuri on the success of the 12th Summit of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC).  

Li, who is in the Comoros on an official visit, sent the congratulations in a phone call to Kasuri, saying the important documents passed by the SAARC held in Islamabad has set the objectives of the SAARC's development and would promote regional peace and development, which serves the interests of the people of South Asia.

As a friendly neighbor of the region, China sincerely hopes South Asia will enjoy peace and stability and will move toward prosperity, he said.

China is willing to make joint efforts with all the South Asian countries including Pakistan to promote peace and development in this region, Li added.

He also welcomed and supported the bilateral talks between Pakistani and Indian leaders during the summit, which reiterated that the two countries would take further measures to achieve detente in their relations.

Kasuri spoke highly of China's constructive role in promoting South Asia's peace and development, saying Pakistan is willing to strengthen the friendly and mutually beneficial cooperation with China, so as to make its due contribution to the people of the two countries as well as peace and development of the world.

(Xinhua News Agency January 7, 2004)