Message from Ambassador of the Russian Federation

It is a great pleasure for me to address you on the occasion of national holiday - the Day of Russia. Since my arrival to Pakistan in 2008 I've had lots of opportunities to see that Pakistani people have friendly feelings towards Russia.
They are being genuinely interested in our country's internal developments and wish us economic and social prosperity. I am glad to emphasize that since 2010 the intensity of Russian-Pakistani bilateral contacts at all levels has increased significantly. In June, 2010, our presidents D. A. Medvedev and Asif Ali Zardari met in Tashkent and Sochi.
In November Chairman of Government V. V. Putin and Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani had a separate meeting at the SCO Heads of Government Council in Dushanbe. In October the Head of the Federal Service of the Russian Federation for Narcotics Control paid a visit to Islamabad to sign an agreement on cooperation in combating illicit drug trafficking. In January this year consultations on strategic stability issues at deputy ministers' level were held successfully in Islamabad.
H.E. Asif Ali Zardari's visit to Russia in May this year was a genuine proof that a serious progress is going on. During the meeting in Moscow the Presidents of Russia and Pakistan witnessed the signing of the intergovernmental Air Service agreement, Memorandum of Understanding between the Ministry of Energy of the Russian Federation and the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Resources of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, Memorandum of Understanding between the Ministry of Agriculture of the Russian Federation and the Ministry of Food and Agriculture of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan.
The intensification of our political contacts is logically stipulated by growing understanding in Moscow and Islamabad, that our countries have many common interests and objectives. It applies to providing regional security and stability, countering threats of terrorism and extremism in all forms and manifestations. Along with our Pakistani partners we resolutely stand against illicit arms trade, drug trafficking, money laundering, cross-border organized crime. We hold detailed discussions on all these issues, particularly within the framework of the joint working group on countering international terrorism and other new challenges to international security.
Russia fully recognizes and appreciates the substantial contribution made by the Islamic Republic of Pakistan to the efforts of world community in this sphere. Thousands of Pakistani soldiers and officers, policemen and intelligence operatives sacrificed their lives while purging their country of terror hotbeds, proving with deeds the commitment of Pakistan to genuine Islamic and human values.
Today Russia and Pakistan have vast opportunities for giving impetus to the economic component of our bilateral cooperation. In this connection the first meeting of Russian-Pakistani Intergovernmental Commission on Trade, Economic, Scientific and Technological Cooperation held in September, 2010, was a significant event. The visits paid to Moscow by Minister of State, Chairman of the Pakistani Board of Investment S. Mandviwalla in September - October and Minister of Petroleum and Natural Resources S. N.Qamar in November were extremely useful. Quadrilateral meeting of the ministers of economic block of the "Four" including Russia, Tajikistan, Afghanistan and Pakistan held in October in Moscow and attended by the Minister for Commerce of Pakistan, M. A. Fahim, is also worth mentioning.
We draw special attention to the possibilities of oil, gas and coal deposits exploitation, participation of Russian companies in providing electricity transit from Central Asia (CASA-1000), construction of Iran-Pakistan and Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India gas pipelines, reconstruction and modernization of Pakistan Steel Mills in Karachi, establishment of banks' representations in both countries, telecommunication development and modernization of Pakistani railways.
Russia and Pakistan work productively within both international and regional formats. We adhere to similar or identical positions on major international issues including crisis management, formation of multipolar world order, strengthening of the United Nations' role and authority as well as supremacy of international law.
Pakistan is an important and influential actor on the South Asian subcontinent. Both Russia and Pakistan, as well as our CIS partners, stand for stability and security in the region as well as worldwide. They promote equality and justice, inter-ethnic and inter-faith harmony in relations between all members of the international community.
It is high time for us to use a vast potential of our bilateral interaction, make it more dynamic and consistent.