Islamabad, April 05, SPA -- The visiting Canadian Minister of Public Safety, Stockwell Day has met with Pakistan's Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Makhdum Khusro Bakhtyar, an official statement said. They exchanged on Pakistan-Canada bilateral relations and Afghanistan. On his part, Bakhtyar highlighted the longstanding ties of friendship and cooperation between Pakistan and Canada and noted the recent increase in bilateral contacts, as reflected in the visits of Prime Minister Stephen Harper, Defense Minister Gordon O Conner, and Foreign Minister Peter MacKay. He underlined the importance of an expanded, broad-based and long-term bilateral relationship marked by growing cooperation in diverse areas. Bakhtyar welcomed the commencement of the process of regular Pakistan-Canada Bilateral Consultations on April 2, 2007. The Canadian minister expressed his country's commitment to strengthen and further build cooperative ties with Pakistan. He showed satisfaction over the ongoing cooperation in various fields, including security and counter-terrorism. Both sides agreed that the increased official and parliamentary exchanges had served to further reinforce mutual understanding and cooperation on issues of common interest. Bakhtyar stated that Pakistan had a vital stake in a peaceful and stable Afghanistan. He added that a peaceful Afghanistan also held the key to regional stability and to realizing the vast economic potential of Central Asia.--SPA www.spa.gov.sa/438529