Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari met with Burmese President Thein Sein in Burma’s capital last week on an official two-day trip . . . the Pakistani president announced plans to expand economic cooperation and increase bilateral trade with Burma . . . the plans include a preferential tariff arrangement and collaboration in the oil and gas industries . . . Zardari also bestowed democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi with the Shaheed Benazir Bhutto Award for Democracy . . . bilateral trade between Burma and Pakistan was $24 million in 2009-2010 . . . the visit comes as Burma is improving relations with the international community after Sein began instituting several key reforms . . . in addition, Pakistan is drawn to expanding relations with Burma to acquire some access to its significant natural resources, which had been previously been targeted primarily by China and India . . . Zardari is also likely hoping that Burma can help Pakistan improve its relations with the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) after Burma assumes the chairmanship in 2014.