Netherlands wants to engage constructively with Pakistan: FO

Netherlands on Friday expressed its keenness to engage constructively with Pakistan in various sectors including energy, water management, and agriculture and food security. According to Foreign Office spokesperson Tasnim Aslam, the Political Director of the Ministry of Foreign Affair of The Netherlands Wim Geerts, expressed the desire during a meeting with Foreign Secretary Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhry after the fourth round of Bilateral Political Consultations between two countries.
The spokesperson stated that Foreign Secretary Aizaz Ahmad also expressed the desire of government of Pakistan to further deepen its relations with Netherlands in various fields. She said that the Political Director informed the Foreign Secretary that the Dutch government will continue its Diplomatic training program for Pakistani Diplomats at the Netherlands Institute of International Relations, Clingendael. Thanking the Dutch government, the Foreign Secretary reiterated the desire of the government of Pakistan to further enhance its relations with The Hague at political and economic level.
In this backdrop, the spokesperson said that Vice Minister of Foreign Economic Relations Simon Smits will lead a delegation to Pakistan from March 10-13, 2014. According to her, Geerts also commended the positive contribution of 40,000 strong Pakistani Diaspora in the Dutch society. The Foreign Secretary stated that people to people contacts were very important for furtherance of bilateral ties, she added.
Earlier, the fourth round of Bilateral Political Consultations was held at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in which Pakistan side was led by Nadeem Riaz, Additional Secretary (Europe) while the Dutch side was headed by Wim Geerts, Political Director of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of The Netherlands. During the Consultations, the two sides reviewed bilateral relations and discussed possibilities of increasing co-operation in political, economic, cultural and education sectors.
Both sides agreed that it is important to increase trade and investment relations. The talks also focused on human rights and global as well regional issues including Afghanistan, India, EU, the Middle East and Disarmament. It was also agreed that the next round of Political Consultations will be held in The Hague next year at mutually convenient dates.