ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and Iran have agreed to deepen cooperation between both the countries in all spheres as Deputy Prime Minister/Foreign Minister Senator Muhammad Ishaq Dar held bilateral meeting with his Iranian counterpart Abbas Aragchi on the sidelines of ECO, Council of Ministers meeting in Mashhad on Tuesday.
During the meeting they exchanged views on areas of mutual interest and the latest regional and global developments. Foreign Office (FO) Spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch said that both the FMs agreed to further strengthen bilateral ties in diverse fields.
This was the second meeting between the two leaders within a month as both the FMs last met in Islamabad when Aragchi arrived on a two-day official in early November. Dar dashed to Iran on Tuesday to attend the 28th Council of Ministers meeting of the ECO being held at Mashhad.
Meanwhile, Dar signed the Charter of the ECO Clean Energy Center at the 28th Meeting of the ECO Council of Ministers being held in Mashhad, Iran.
The charter is a flagship initiative of ECO in the energy sector, which will focus on research and development for innovative renewable clean energy sources to combat climate change.
The charter will play a bridging role in enhancing regional cooperation for smooth transition to sustainable energy and contribute to the Global Network of Regional Sustainable Energy Centers in the framework of the UN’s Sustainable Energy for All Initiative.
The FM also met the Deputy Prime Minister/Foreign Minister of Kazakhstan, Murat Nurtleu, on the sidelines of the 28th Meeting of the ECO Council of Ministers. They discussed bilateral issues of common interest and agreed to strengthen bilateral relations through enhanced connectivity, trade and people-to-people linkages.
The two deputy prime ministers also exchanged views on the latest regional and global developments. They emphasised the importance of regional platforms for boosting inter-regional connectivity, linkages and trade cooperation among ECO countries.
On the sidelines of the 28th meeting of the ECO Ministerial Meeting, Ishaq Dar held a meeting with the ECO Secretary General Dr Asad Majeed. They discussed the important role played by ECO in fostering regional cooperation by strengthening trade linkages, regional connectivity and people-to-people contacts.
The deputy prime minister/foreign minister reaffirmed Pakistan’s continued commitment towards ECO and for its vision of regional connectivity and economic cooperation. The DPM also delivered his remarks at the ECO ministerial meeting and emphasised the importance of regional connectivity for the enhancement of trade and other linkages between the member states.
Later, Dar departed Mashhad following the conclusion of the 28th meeting of the ECO Council of Ministers. He was seen off at the airport by senior Iranian government officials and Pakistan’s Ambassador to Iran, Mudassir Tipu.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2024
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