Pakistan and Russia Wednesday agreed to promote and enhance bilateral relations in diverse fields including trade, energy and people-to-people contacts. Addressing a joint press along with her Russian counterpart, Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar said there has been a scope for co-operation between the two countries in different areas and all the aspects for improving co-operation have been discussed during the meeting of the two foreign ministers.
Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar is visiting the Russian Federation at the invitation of her Russian counterpart Sergei Viktorovich Lavrov from February 7 to 10. She held in-depth talks with her counterpart on expanding and diversifying Pakistan-Russia relations.
The two foreign ministers exchanged views on regional and global issues of mutual interest besides increasing co-operation in energy, infrastructure development, agriculture, science and technology. Replying to a question on Afghanistan, Hina Rabbani Khar said Pakistan has a clear policy on that and it will extend full help and co-operation to any Afghan-led, Afghan-owned and Afghan-driven peace initiative, as it is the only long lasting solution to the problem.
She said Pakistan has repeatedly said that there should be a political solution to Afghan problem for durable pace in the region. The Foreign Minister said TAPI and KASA 1000 energy projects were also discussed during the meeting. She said Pakistan also got very encouraging response from Russia for more investment in the most important project of Pakistan Steel Mills. She said both countries also agreed to enhance parliamentary interaction besides increasing co-operation at the level of foreign ministries of the two countries.
Hina said it has also been agreed that there would be more interaction between the chambers of commerce and industries of two countries to improve trade activities. The foreign minister said the Russian investors have also shown interest to invest in different energy projects like Thar Coal. Regarding co-operation in energy sector, she said, "we are looking forward for the energy group to be meeting within the first half of this year".
Talking about the regional level of co-operation, the foreign minister said Shanghai Co-operation Organisation (SCO), is exceptionally an important forum within the region to face and counter the regional challenges. She said Pakistan has been actively participating in the deliberations of SCO and seeking its permanent membership and thanked the Russian Federation extending its support on this issue.
The foreign minister said next quadrilateral summit being held in Pakistan was also discussed during the meeting with her Russian counterpart and added, "Pakistan is looking forward to host this summit". She said she had extended invitation to the Russian leadership on behalf of President Asif Ali Zardari for this quadrilateral summit.
She said the visit of President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani to Russian Federation and their meetings with the Russian leaders have also improved the bilateral ties and it also indicated that Pakistan gives importance to its relations with Russia.
Addressing the joint press conference the Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said both countries also agreed to cooperate in fighting terrorism and drug crimes. He said, "We have a good future in implementation of major transnational energy projects at the border between the Central Asian and South Asian regions." Lavrov said. "In our international co-operation we pay special attention to the issues of terrorism and drug crimes." He said soon, federal service representative of Russia on control of drug substances would start working in Islamabad.
On the issue of promotion of trade relations, Lavrov said that Pakistani side received Russia's draft of a joint action plan in trade and investments. "We discussed co-operation in the framework of the SCO, the Dushanbe quartet and the UN Security Council, as Pakistan is the Security Council's permanent member for 2012-2013," Lavrov said. He said, "We share approaches to major international problems, principles, on the basis of which it is necessary to settle emerging problems."