ISLAMABAD, June 5 (Xinhua) -- Pakistan and ASEAN on Monday decided to hold economic officials' level discussion on a joint feasibility study on free trade agreement (FTA) between the two sides, and the study will be completed by next July.

    Saying the third meeting of Pakistan-ASEAN Joint Sectoral Committee has been "highly beneficial", Pakistani Foreign Secretary Riaz Mohammad Khan told a joint news briefing that Pakistan is looking forward to a comprehensive partnership with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and deepening trade and economic cooperation with the group.

    Pakistan has decided to place one million U.S. dollars in the Pakistan-ASEAN Fund, which would be used to carry out the joint feasibility study on FTA with ASEAN as well as other mutually agreed projects, the foreign secretary said.

    One Keng Yong, Secretary General of ASEAN, who is leading the ASEAN delegation for the meeting, told newsmen that ASEAN is looking forward to extensively working with Pakistan in the areas of interest.

    Views on a number of areas other than the eight agreed areas namely trade, investment, industry, environment, tourism, science and technology, drugs control and human resources development have been exchanged during the meeting, including cooperation in energy, bird flu and other areas, according to the Pakistani foreign secretary Riaz Mohammad Khan.

    Pakistan also proposed a Joint Task Force and a Joint Working Group for cooperation in agriculture, and satellite remote sensing for agriculture, water and disaster management with ASEAN, Riaz said.

    Pakistan is a Sectoral Dialogue Partner of ASEAN since 1997. The Pakistan-ASEAN relationship has been intensified since 2004, and Pakistan signed with the group a Treaty of Amity and Cooperation and a Joint Declaration on Combating Terrorism with ASEAN. Enditem