Agence France Presse

Singapore, February 8

Visiting Pakistani finance minister Shaukat Aziz said that he discussed a possible free trade agreement (FTA) between his country and Singapore during a meeting with premier Goh Chok Tong.

A top level trade delegation from Singapore is to visit Pakistan in April to explore the possibility of such an arrangement, he said.

"Yes, we did certainly discuss it (a possible FTA)," Aziz told journalists after his meeting with the Singapore leader, "I think the ministerial visit from Singapore to Pakistan in April will be a step in the right direction. Pakistan has already written to the government of Singapore to explore some mutually beneficial trading arrangement which could eventually lead to an FTA."

He said both nations can "develop a win-win partnership" that will allow Pakistani firms to access multinational corporations based here as well as Singapore companies as they expand into the region.