News
Wednesday, March 09, 2011
Pakistan, Tajikistan ink bilateral pacts to strengthen ties* Areas of collaboration include food, agriculture, health and sports
* PM Gilani, Tajik president hold one-on-one meeting
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and Tajikistan on Tuesday signed bilateral agreements to enhance cooperation in the areas of food, agriculture, health and sports.
The decision was reached during a wide-ranging, one-on-one, as well as delegation-level talks between Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani and Tajik President Emomali Rahmon at the PM’s House.
The two sides, while expressing a determination to enhance friendship and partnership between the countries to “new heights” through increased cooperation in diverse fields, including trade and economy, infrastructure, communication, energy, agriculture, health and sports, inked a comprehensive joint declaration in this regard.
Later at a joint press conference, the two leaders termed the talks and the agreements as extremely “productive and future oriented” and “a step forward” to further strengthening their ties.
Gilani expressed satisfaction over the talks during which the two sides also held in-depth review of the regional and international situation. “Our two countries enjoy similarity of views on all important issues. We are determined to enhance our friendship and partnership to new heights,” he reiterated.
He said the comprehensive joint declaration inked between the two countries provided a broad ranging framework for the future direction of bilateral relations, adding, “This declaration covers all key areas of bilateral cooperation”.
The PM said that Pakistan attached high importance to advancing its brotherly relations and partnership with Tajikistan, adding, “Tajikistan is our neighbour…the two countries enjoy deep rooted bonds of history, culture, literature and traditions.”
President Rahmon said his visit to the country on the invitation of President Zardari was aimed to not only strengthen bilateral relations but to exchange views on crucial regional and international issues, with particular focus on the role of two countries in resolving these issues.
The Tajik president termed his talks with the Pakistani leadership, including the president and the prime minister, as “very substantive and constructive”.
He expressed confidence that Pakistan-Tajikistan Business Forum, to be held in Karachi today (Wednesday), would open a “new horizon of cooperation” to help boost bilateral relations.
He termed the signing of agreements between Pakistan and Tajikistan on food, agriculture, health and sports as a “step forward” in strengthening ties and said there existed a lot of opportunities of bilateral trade.
He said that both the countries were determined to cooperate in infrastructure development projects, hydropower plants and joint ventures, adding that his country would provide on reciprocal basis free land to Pakistan for establishment of free economic zones.
Separately, the Tajik president and President Zardari on Tuesday jointly performed the ground breaking of a new Tajik embassy complex at the Diplomatic Enclave.
The $4 million project would be completed in two-year-time over a covered area of around 8,000 square yards. Both Pakistan and Tajikistan have provided land free of cost for their respective embassy buildings.
President Rehmon and President Zardari in brief remarks said the construction of the new embassy was a reflection of the close friendship that existed between the countries.
Zardari assuring all assistance to Tajikistan in the completion of the project and said both the countries were keen to strengthen infrastructure and energy connectivity and further promote trade and economic cooperation. app
Courtesy www.dailytimes.com.pk