WHILE the first EU-Pakistan summit held at Brussels on Wednesday did yield a paltry donation of 65 million euros (that does not even come to $100 million) for the displaced persons of Malakand Division, the European leaders dodged the question of trade concessions that President Asif Zardari, who represented Pakistan at the meeting, had raised. The EU held out vague promises to consider the point in the future. Reportedly, certain countries were willing to accede to Islamabad's request but those that felt that such concessions would affect their industries balked at it. Nevertheless, the President has continued to feel upbeat, saying that he has hopes that the trade issues, which he regards as important for democracy to get entrenched in the country, would one day be settled in Pakistan's favour. Mr Zardari is absolutely right when he says "half the war (against militancy)" is to win the hearts and minds of the people. And while the EU apparently understands well how favourable an impact Pakistan's economic development can have on the issue and, as a consequence, on relieving the European nations of the threat of terrorism, their leaders somehow fight shy of taking practical steps. For Pakistani products, the EU is the largest market and their greater access to it could provide a real stimulus to our industrial growth. Islamabad should, therefore, continue its efforts to persuade European leaders to accept its pleas.