Brussels, 08/02/2007 (Agence Europe) - On Thursday, the EU and Pakistan reiterated their determination to moving forward with the implementation of the 2004 Cooperation Agreement, and also improving their relations in areas not covered by the agreement. A first meeting of the joint commission (provided for in the agreement) is scheduled for this year in Islamabad and it will be “the opportunity to strengthen the cooperation dialogue between the two sides, including in the field of trade,” says a joint declaration adopted by the EU Troika, led by Frank-Walter Steinmeier, and the Pakistani foreign minister, Khurshid Kasuri, in Berlin on Thursday. Outside the cooperation agreement, the two parties also committed themselves to setting up: - regular ministerial level dialogue to discuss strategic issues; - in between the ministerial meetings, meetings of senior officials from both sides to ensure follow-up; - expert level meetings in a variety of policy areas, including interfaith dialogue, counter terrorism, counter narcotics, non-proliferation, and human rights and good governance. Both sides also want to promote contacts at parliamentary level. The EU and Pakistan also agreed to “exchange experience in the fields of political and economic governance, as well as human rights and the rule of law”, to cooperate in the promotion of regional peace, stability and security, and to work together for the eradication of poverty in Pakistan, “in accordance with the Millennium Development Goals”. (hb)