FRIDAY APRIL 29: Financing of Bhasha, other hydel projects: Saudi Arabia to provide support

ISLAMABAD: Saudi Arabia and Pakistan have agreed to revive the meetings of Joint Ministerial Commission to enlarge the focus of co-operation in various sector of the economy, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Hina Rabbani Khar said. Addressing a press conference after her return from Saudi Arabia, she said that Saudi government has agreed to resume the meetings of JMC, which were suspended in 2007.
The two countries have agreed to hold political level consultations between their respective foreign offices to consult and co-ordinate on emerging situation in the region and the Middle East.The Saudi government has also agreed to provide financial support for the construction of Bhasha Diamer Dam and other hydel power projects in Pakistan, she added.
She termed her official visit to Saudi Arabia very fruitful as the Saudi government assured its full co-operation to Pakistan in all the fields and agreed to boost bilateral trade volume. To achieve these goals, both countries would evolve a joint strategy to make possible frequent high level meetings between the two sides, she added.
She stressed that it was need of the hour that Pakistan must concentrate on promoting trade volume. In this respect, Saudi Arabia would also play its role in early finalisation of Pakistan GCC Free Trade Agreement (FTA), she added. Hina also mentioned that the both the sides agreed to hold political level consultations between their respective foreign offices to consult and co-ordinate on emerging situation in the region and the Middle East.
Responding to a question regarding import of oil from Saudi Arabia on deferred payment, she replied that the topic was not part of the agenda of her discussion. She said the ruling party was laying more emphasis on trade not aid. On the apprehensions shown by journalists on allowing opening Indian consulates in Afghanistan, she said Pakistan did not wish that Pakistani territory should be used for adventurism and similarly expected that any other country's territory including Afghanistan would not be used for adventurism. Replying to a question on reconciliation with Taliban, she said Pakistan made it clear to the Afghanistan government that it would extend its full co-operation to any such move.