Aug 26 , 2015
News
Pakistan keen to establish energy, trade corridors with CARs: Nawaz
*PM tells Kazakh counterpart huge potential exists for bilateral trade in textile and cotton products, pharmaceuticals, food items, engineering equipment and machineryASTANA/ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Tuesday called for further strengthening of bilateral ties between Pakistan and Kazakhstan through enhanced cooperation in diverse areas, particularly trade, energy and infrastructure connectivity for the mutual benefit of two brotherly countries.Nawaz, who is on a two-day official visit of Kazakhstan, shared with Prime Minister Karim Massimov his government’s vision of establishing energy and trade corridors with the Central Asian Republics (CARs).
“There is a large scope for trade in textile and cotton products, pharmaceuticals, food items, engineering equipment and machinery and construction enterprises,” he mentioned as he met his Kazakh counterpart Karim Massimov.Besides discussing ways and means to strengthen bilateral ties, the two leaders also exchanged views on the regional and international issue of mutual interest.
Pakistani ports (Gwadar and Karachi) provide the shortest route to sea for the Central Asian Republics (CARs), he said, adding Pakistan was eager to see a prosperous Central Asia with all countries connected by rail, road and air links and generating business.
He said visa policy needed to be liberalised to gain maximum advantages in bilateral trade.He said, “Pakistan offers Kazakhstan the shortest access to the sea.” Most of the Central Asian States had shown keen interest in using Pakistan’s sea ports for their exports, he added.He said that Pakistan viewed Kazakhstan as an important state in the region. Its strategic geographic location and energy resources made it a more attractive and important country.
On the cooperation at international fora, Nawaz mentioned that Kazakhstan supported Pakistan’s successful bid to become a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council in October 2011.He urged the need for closer interaction at the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building in Asia (CICA) and SCO. He said that Pakistan praised the constructive role Kazakhstan was playing in the Heart of Asia Process as well as in the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) and the OIC (Organization of Islamic Cooperation).The PM praised Kazakhstan’s support for Pakistan in acquiring full membership of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO).With regard to relations with neighbours, Nawaz told his Kazakh counterpart that Pakistan wanted to have good relations with all its neighbours, including India.
About Afghanistan, he said, Pakistan and Kazakhstan had a common interest in a peaceful, stable and united Afghanistan. The two countries, he added, also supported an inclusive Afghan-led and Afghan-owned reconciliation process.The PM said stability in Afghanistan would bring prosperity and enhance cooperation in the entire region.
Talking about terrorism, he said Pakistan, which had suffered from terrorism for a decade, was now leading the fight against terrorism and extremism. He said the comprehensive and all-out Operation Zarb-e-Azb against terrorists without distinction had yielded positive results. Prime Minister Karim Massimov thanked his Pakistani counterpart for his second visit to Kazakhstan and said they remembered that Pakistan was one of the first countries to recognize the independence of Kazakhstan in early 1990s.He said that Pakistan was a brotherly country and Kazakhstan wanted to deepen its relations with it.
Massimov said that Pakistan had been supporting Kazakhstan at all international fora and the same had been reciprocated by Kazakhstan.
Separately, Pakistan and Kazakhstan signed several agreements and memorandum of understanding for cooperation in various areas.Nawaz and Massimov attended the ceremony. Under an MoU signed with Trade Development Authority of Pakistan, the two countries have agreed to promote bilateral trade and investment while another MoU was signed between Foreign Service Academy of Pakistan and Kazakhstan Academy of Public Administration for training of diplomats.The two countries also signed a MoU for cooperation in defence and strategic research.
Courtesy www.dailytimes.com.pk