Pakistan and Bulgaria will sign 'economic co-operation agreement' during the scheduled three-day visit of the Bulgarian Foreign Minister to Islamabad who is due to arrive here on January 19, sources in Economic Affairs Division (EAD) told Business Recorder.
Giving the background, they said that the government of Bulgaria has desired to sign an agreement on economic co-operation with Pakistan. The draft agreement received from Bulgarian side was sent for comments to concerned Ministries and vetted by the Law and Justice Division.
The Cabinet, in its meeting held on November 5, 2008, accorded in principle approval to initiate negotiations on the draft agreement. The draft agreement was forward to Bulgaria for concurrence. The government of Bulgaria has concurred with the draft agreement and desired that the agreement may be signed during the visit of Bulgarian Foreign Minister, Nickolay Mladenov, to Pakistan on January 19-21, 2011.
Final text of agreed draft has also been vetted by the Ministry of Law and Justice from legal point of view. Under the proposed agreement, Pakistan-Bulgaria Inter-Governmental Commission would be established to deliberate co-operation in economic, trade and other fields between the two countries. EAD has sought approval of the Cabinet to the proposed agreement on economic co-operation between Pakistan and Bulgaria under Rule 16(1)(h) of the Rules of Business, 1973.