(Xinhua)
Updated: 2008-01-20 17:11

ISLAMABAD -- Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf said Sunday that his four-nation European visit is aimed at improving Pakistan's image and removing certain misperception about happenings in the country and the region.

Musharraf made the remarks to the media at the Chaklala airbase before his departure for an eight-day visit to Belgium, France, Switzerland and the United Kingdom.

Musharraf said that during his bilateral meetings with leaders of these countries and during his address on different issues of the World Economic Forum (WEF) in the eastern Swiss city of Davos, his focus would be on clearing misperceptions and giving them correct perspective of the developments in Pakistan and the region.

He said that the organizers of the WEF annual meeting at Davos were keen to listen to him and they would provide him an opportunity to address the number of meetings, which is the rare privilege.

About his engagements in Brussels, he said that the European Union was an important international player and he would have an exchange of views with the leadership of the European Union on bilateral and global issues.

Musharraf said that he would also have discussions with Belgian Prime Minister Guy Vehhofstadt, British Prime Minister Gordon Brown and French President Nicolas Sarkozy on how to consolidate further bilateral cooperations with these countries.

Musharraf said he would also address think tanks and the Pakistani community in these countries to apprise them of the developments in Pakistan.