ISLAMABAD, April 7: President Gen Pervez Musharraf’s forthcoming visit to the Philippines will lend a new impetus to Pakistan-Philippine relations in many fields of mutual benefit, Franklin M. Dilon, president of the Philippine Senate, said in a meeting with Chairman Senate Mohammedmian Soomro in Manila. Mr Dilon also informed the leader of Pakistan’s parliamentary delegation that the Senate of the Philippines has adopted a resolution recently, inviting President Musharraf to address the Joint-Session of the Philippine Congress during his upcoming visit.

He handed over a copy of the said resolution to Mr Soomro, a message received from Manila said on Thursday.

Chairman Senate Soomro, who is leading Pakistan’s parliamentary delegation at the 112th assembly of the International Parliamentary Union (IPU), being held in Manila from March 31 to April 8, said Pakistan and Philippines enjoy close friendly relations.

He, however, underlined the need for more exchanges at various levels to further promote the existing bilateral relations between the two countries.

During the meeting, agenda for the 112th assembly of IPU was discussed. Both sides also discussed the social, economic and political issues concerning the agenda for the IPU assembly.

Mr Soomro said that exchanges of parliamentary delegations would promote interaction and cooperation between the parliaments of the two countries. He was accompanied by a group of National Assembly and Senate members during the meeting.

Later, the speaker of Indian Lok Sabha, Shri Chatterjee Somonth, also met Mr Soomro. They discussed bilateral relations and parliamentary cooperation between the two countries.

Mr Soomro said that there was a need to gear up the composite dialogue process between the two countries with a view to strengthening the cause of regional peace.

The speaker of Indian Lok Sabha underlined the need for accelerating the flow of cultural, student and intellectual delegations to promote people-to-people contact.—APP