Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani on Wednesday said Pakistan regards Bulgaria, a member of the European Union (EU), as an important friendly country and is keen to further strengthen bilateral relations in multi-faceted fields.
While welcoming the first ever Foreign Ministerial level visit from Bulgaria to Pakistan, he said that the signing of an agreement of economic co-operation between the two countries would put in place the required framework for identifying new economic and trade opportunities for both the countries.
The Prime Minister was talking to Nickolay Miadenov, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Bulgaria who called on him here at the PM House on Wednesday afternoon. Gilani welcomed the Government of Bulgaria's decision to upgrade its Diplomatic Mission in Islamabad to the Ambassadorial level and expressed the hope that both sides will fast-track the finalisation of talks for signing the MoUs and agreements on protection of investment, avoidance of double taxation, co-operation in the Defence sector, transfer of sentenced offenders and visa abolition on diplomatic and official passports between the two countries.
The Prime Minister underlined the need for exchange of trade delegations between the two sides and hoped that the Bulgarian government will encourage the visit of its buyers' delegation to Pakistan this year. He also called for facilitation in travel facilities to Pakistani businessmen to Bulgaria to enhance private sector level contacts between the two countries. The Prime Minister expressed his gratitude for Bulgaria's steadfast support to Pakistan in the EU for a trade concession package as well as on the issues of grant of GSP Plus facilities and negotiations on Free Trade Agreement between Pakistan and the EU.
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