News
Friday, January 14, 2011
Pak to enhance cooperation with Germany: Naek
* Acting NA speaker says Germany can play vital role for greater access to Pakistani products in European markets
Staff Report
ISLAMABAD: Acting President Farooq H Naek said on Thursday that Pakistan highly valued its bilateral relationship with Germany and there was a vast scope for exploring new avenues of cooperation and bilateral collaboration. Naek expressed these views while talking to a German parliamentarians delegation, which called on him at the Parliament House.
While talking to the members of the German delegation, the acting president said, “The bilateral trade is on the rise and Germany is the Pakistan’s fourth largest trading partner”. He pointed out that more investment could be done in the field of agriculture and other agro-based sectors. Naek opined that increased interaction of businessmen would provide an opportunity to identify areas of mutual interest. He also underscored the need for closer interaction between the scientific institutions of the two countries.
The acting president also underlined the need for more parliamentary exchanges to build closer relations and suggested the formation of a Pak-German group in the respective parliaments to institutionalise the parliamentary interaction.
He invited Germany’s investment in energy and power generation, saying that Pakistan offers conducive environment for investment in different sectors. During the meeting, matters pertaining to regional situation also came under discussion.
The leader of the delegation, Dr Andreas Schockenoff, member of the German parliament and other members of the delegation, thanked the acting president for a warm welcome and hospitality.
Other members of the delegation included Dr Christian Ruck, Roderich Kiesewetter, Dr Hartmut Philippe, Dr Babak Khalatbari, Ambassador Dr Michael Koch and Deputy Head of Mission Stephan Roken. The German parliamentarians on Thursday assured of their country’s all-out support to government of Pakistan for steering the country out of the present economic and energy crisis and vowed to join hands in struggle against terrorism and poverty.
The German parliamentary delegation called on National Assembly Acting Speaker Faisal Karim Kundi in the Parliament House.
Kundi said that Pakistan attached great value to its strategic relations with Germany, which were based on mutual understanding, friendship and economic partnership.
He said that both the nations shared common insight on issues and supported each other on all regional and global forums. He said that Pakistan, being a frontline state in the war against terror, has been badly affected by the insurgents operating in Afghanistan.
He said that Germany, being an important member of the European Union, could play a vital role for allowing greater access to the Pakistani products in European markets. He thanked the people and government of Germany for its support for the flood-affected people.
Dr Schockenhoff said that Germany also attached a great value to its relations with Pakistan and needed to further cement them. He said that Pakistan was an important country in the region and it was a strong desire of his country to see Pakistan a prosperous and stable country, which was also in the interest of the region and the world. He agreed for enhancing relations between parliamentarians of both the countries. He assured the acting speaker of Germany’s continued support and cooperation in diverse fields.
Courtesy www.dailytimes.com.pk