ISLAMABAD -- Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf Thursday stressed the need for concerted efforts in a bid to boost trade relations in the Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO), IRNA reported.

Musharraf, at a meeting with visiting ECO Secretary General Seyed Mojtaba Arastou, said Pakistan is keen to play active part in promoting cooperation on sustainable basis among the ECO region.

He said agricultural products' trade was the basic guideline for mutual cooperation among the ECO member states.

"The ECO states should come closer and try their maximum to remove if there are any barriers in the way of boosting cooperation," Musharraf said.

Commenting on the recent proposal of Iranian President Mohammad Khatami to promote relations between ECO and ASEAN, Musharraf said that if both organizations initiate activities collectively, the entire region will benefit.

Presenting a report on the activities of ECO to the Musharraf, Arastou emphasized the need for more cooperation in the agricultural sector among the member states.

He appreciated the government of Pakistan for organizing the first ECO ministerial meeting on agriculture in Islamabad.

Arastou hoped the proposals and ideas presented during the meeting and the declaration adopted will help to forge closer cooperation among the ECO member states.

The secretary general assured total support of the ECO Secretariat toward implementation of the Islamabad declaration.

Also in related news, Arastou met Pakistan's Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Inamul Haq to discuss issues of mutual interest.

"Pakistan fully supports the activities of the ECO in promoting greater interaction and cooperation among the member nations," Haq said.

The minister laid stress on measures to get the Islamabad declaration implemented in letter and spirit.

Explaining the functioning of the ECO to the minister, Arastou said that ECO Secretariat will present a report on its performance and activities during the ECO ministerial summit in Turkey.

He said that it was necessary to promote a viable mechanism for exchange of information among the ECO member countries, which, he added, will benefit the countries.

Meanwhile, Arastou on Thursday urged the member countries to help Afghanistan rebuild its agriculture.

Arastou said in the light of priority areas, the ECO member countries should come forward and assist Afghanistan in its efforts to revive its devastated agriculture infrastructure.

"The ECO ministerial meeting is of unique significance, it will unveil opportunities of cooperation, particularly in the field of agriculture," he maintained.

This ministerial meeting, he said, could be taken as an important regional forum to boost mutual cooperation in the agriculture sector.

"The meeting will have a far-reaching positive impact as far as the ECO member countries are concerned," he remarked about the result of the forum, opened by Pakistani President General Pervez Musharraf Thursday morning.

About existing cooperation and trade, he said that ECO member countries' exports to the region amount to around $700-800 million.

Arastou also pointed out that according to a study on potential of intra-ECO trade, the current trade can be increased to almost four-fold that is $2-3 billion.

It is our sincere hope, he said that the ECO delegations will elaborate on the issue and try to find solutions to it.