A development that poured cold water on the Pak-Saudi relations is the allocation of a sprawling hunting field in Rajanpur district for a dignitary of another country. This place has been in the use of a powerful Saudi dignitary Interior Minister and brother of Saudi king, Prince Naif bin Abdulaziz, for over thirty years. “Saudis take such things very seriously because they don’t expect such snubs from a brotherly country like Pakistan,” the source said. However, the official said that every year the decisions about allocation of different hunting fields were taken during joint consultations with diplomatic representatives of Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Kuwait and Qatar. – Pakistan Daily News
Pakistan, China may ink civil N-pact
Pakistan Daily Times
President Asif Ali Zardari may sign a preliminary civilian nuclear pact with China during his visit to the country, Pakistan’s ambassador to China said on Tuesday. Speaking to Geo News channel in Beijing, Masood Khan hinted that a nuclear deal could be on the cards during four days of talks. “Both countries have always supported the peaceful use of civil nuclear energy,” Khan said, adding an agreement was “expected in this connection.” Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Qin Gang also indicated that nuclear energy co-operation would be discussed during Zardari’s visit, when he will meet President Hu Jintao and Prime Minister Wen Jiabao, but he gave no specifics. “China and Pakistan share sound co-operation in nuclear energy. China is ready, on the basis of equality and mutual benefit, to continue its co-operation with Pakistan,” he said. The president arrived in China Tuesday on his first official visit since assuming office. The formal welcome ceremony for the president will be held today (Wednesday) at the Great Hall of the People, where Jintao will receive him. Zardari will also hold meetings with National People’s Congress Chairman Wu Bangguo, Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference Chairman Jia Qingling, and business leaders. Over a dozen agreements, memorandums of understanding and protocols to expand co-operation in diverse fields between Pakistan and China are to be signed during the visit. The FT also reported Tuesday, without citing sources, Zardari would seek a soft loan of between $500m and $1.5b from China to help Pakistan out of its financial crisis.
Niqnaq 