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Monday, May 24, 2010
Pakistan to boost trade with Egypt: Qureshi* Egyptian president elaborates on developments in Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan, Middle East
* Amicable settlement of Iran’s nuclear issue likely to bring regional peace, stabilityCAIRO/ISLAMABAD: Pakistan plans to boost trade with Egypt, Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi said on Sunday during a visit to Cairo where he met President Hosni Mubarak.
Qureshi, who was accompanied by several ministers and a large delegation of businessmen, praised the “excellent” relations between Pakistan and Egypt, the official MENA news agency reported.
Qureshi also conveyed good wishes of President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani to President Mubarak and reiterated the invitation earlier extended by them to the latter to visit Pakistan.
Mubarak expressed similar good wishes for the president and prime minister of Pakistan and said he would seek an opportunity to visit the country.
The foreign minister briefed Mubarak on the progress made during the third session of the joint ministerial commission and the decision taken by the two sides to convert the existing goodwill into a strong economic interaction between the two countries.
Mubarak recalled his meeting with Prime Minister Gilani at Sharm el-Sheikh in 2009 and agreed that increase in the frequency of contacts at the highest level would lead to further strengthening of bilateral relations.
Developments: Mubarak elaborated on the latest developments in Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan and the Middle East peace process. He agreed with Qureshi that an amicable settlement of the Iranian nuclear issue would likely bring peace and stability in the region.
Later, he briefed the Egyptian media about the progress made by the joint ministerial commission for the promotion of bilateral relations and the 21 areas identified for enhanced cooperation.
He also informed them about his positive, result-oriented, intensive interaction with the Egyptian business community. Qureshi expressed confidence that his visit to Cairo would lead to enhanced cooperation in the investment and trade sectors between Pakistan and Egypt.
Committee: During talks with his Egyptian counterpart Ahmed Abul Gheit on Saturday, the two diplomats agreed to set up a ministerial-level committee to oversee bilateral trade that would meet every two years, Qureshi told MENA.
The two countries would also hold political consultations once a year, Qureshi said.
According to a statement, the two foreign ministers also discussed regional and international issues of mutual interest.
The talks focused on “exploring new trade opportunities between the two countries, including exporting Pakistani wheat as well as medical and surgical equipment to Egypt”, MENA said.
It said the two sides also looked into exporting Egyptian goods to Pakistan, including fertilizers. The annual volume of trade between Egypt and Pakistan currently stands at $4 million, according to MENA.
It was also agreed that both countries would further enhance their cooperation in the alternative energy sector, particularly wind power generation. Business interaction between the two countries was also emphasised. agencies
Courtesy www.dailytimes.com.pk