Pakistani President to visit China after killings
(Reuters)
Updated: 2006-02-17 20:54

The bodies of three Chinese workers gunned down by Pakistani separatists were flown home from Islamabad on Friday, providing a somber prelude to a visit by President Pervez Musharraf to China.

Musharraf will leave on Sunday for China, one of Pakistan's traditional allies, for a five day trip meant to mark the 55th anniversary of diplomatic relations.

While the killings have cast a pall over the visit, analysts say an agenda focused on economic and security cooperation is unlikely to be affected.

"It is an act of terrorism which was meant to create problem between Pakistan and China and we are mindful of that," Pakistani Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Tasnim Aslam said.

She said Musharraf and Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz had assured Chinese leaders of Pakistan's determination to catch the culprits and increase security for Chinese workers.

Senior Pakistani foreign and interior ministry officials accompanied the bodies of the victims on the flight back to China, the foreign ministry said in a statement.