Pakistan on Friday sought civilian nuclear cooperation from France, which concluded a civilian nuclear agreement with India in February this year.

Pakistan made the call in a meeting with a visiting four-member delegation of the French Senate commission for foreign affairs, defense and armed forces, headed by Jean Francois-Poncet, former foreign minister. The French delegation called on Pakistani Foreign Minister Khurshid M. Kasuri in the foreign office.

In a statement at the end of the meeting, the foreign office said, "The foreign minister also briefed Francois-Poncet about Pakistan's growing energy requirements in view of its rapid economic development and stressed the need for a non- discriminatory approach by all Nuclear Suppliers Group members including France towards cooperation with Pakistan in the civilian nuclear sector."

A wide range of bilateral issues were discussed with a view to enhancing cooperation in different areas and the Pakistani foreign minister briefed the French delegation on Pakistan's role as an anchor of peace and stability in the region, it said.

Francois-Poncet, appreciating Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf's vision of Enlightened Moderation, commended Pakistan's role in promoting peace and stability and rooting out extremism from its society, the statement said.

He also appreciated Pakistan's impressive economic development and stated that Pakistan was playing a credible role in regional peace, security and development, it said.

He maintained that Pakistan can be a bridge between the West and the Muslim world to create better understanding and cooperation between the two, according to the statement.

Source: Xinhua