SAMARKAND (APP): Pakistan and Turkiye on Friday have agreed to carry out work on Stream Gas Pipeline project from Russia to Islamabad. According to details, the understanding came during a meeting between Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on the sidelines of Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in Samarkand, Uzbekistan.
During the meeting, PM Shehbaz Sharif and Turkish President agreed on promoting the bilateral trade and implementation of large-scale projects including the gas supply. Speaking on the occasion, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan noted that part of the infrastructure for Pakistan-Russia Stream was already in place in Moscow, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan.
The president said he considers Pakistan as the country’s preferred partner in Asia, expressing satisfaction at the positive trajectory of bilateral relations in diverse areas. Meanwhile, PM Shehbaz Sharif extended his gratitude to President Erdogan and to the people of Turkiye for their solidarity and generous support in the wake of devastating floods in Pakistan, caused by climate change.
Highlighting close fraternal ties between the two countries, the Prime Minister underscored the importance of various bilateral institutional mechanisms, in particular the High-level Strategic Cooperation Council (HLSCC), which served as the leadership-level platform to provide strategic direction to this abiding partnership. While welcoming the recent signing of “Trade in Goods” agreement between both countries, the premier expressed the confidence that optimal utilisation of the agreement would boost bilateral trade and act as a catalyst in further cementing bilateral economic and investment relations.
The two leaders decided to maintain close contact and continue high-level exchanges to further enhance the multi-dimensional strategic relations between Pakistan and Turkiye. A day earlier, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif met today on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in Samarkand, Uzbekistan. During the meeting, Putin said that pipeline gas supplies to Pakistan are possible, and that part of the necessary infrastructure is already in place. Both personalities discussed the bilateral relations and the ways to further strengthen the cooperation.
PM, Azerbaijan president express resolve for cooperation in trade, energy: Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif and President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev on Friday expressed their mutual resolve to enhance bilateral cooperation in diverse areas including trade, energy and defence.
In a meeting held on the sidelines of Shanghai Cooperation Organization’s Heads of State meeting in Samarkand, the two side also emphasized strengthening the links in the fields of education and people-to-people contacts. PM Sharif underlined the importance of unlocking the existing potential in the relationship by boosting bilateral engagement in the fields of trade, investment, agriculture, information technology and tourism.
He expressed his gratitude to Azerbaijan for its support and solidarity with Pakistan as well as provision of generous financial assistance for the flood affected people. He highlighted that the massive natural disaster caused by climate change called for urgent action by the international community to address this global threat. The prime minister said that Pakistan and Azerbaijan had exemplary relations, deeply embedded in common history, faith and culture.
He reaffirmed Pakistan’s principled support to Azerbaijan on Nagorno-Karabakh and congratulated on the historic success in liberation of its occupied territories. The prime minister also expressed condolences on the recent martyrdom of 71 Azeri servicemen in an unprovoked attack by Armenia. He reiterated support for Azerbaijan’s right to self-defence in accordance with international law and in protection of its territorial integrity.Both leaders extended an invitation to each other for visits at an early date.
PM, Kazakh president discuss bilateral relations: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday met with President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jormat Tokayev and discussed the bilateral ties and also exchanged views on the issues of regional and international importance.
The meeting took place on the sidelines of annual Meeting of the Council of Heads of State of Shanghai Cooperation Organization held here. Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, Defence Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif, Finance Minister Miftah Ismail, and SAPM Tariq Fatemi accompanied the prime minister.
Along with a high level delegation including the federal ministers, the prime minister in on a two-day visit to Uzbekistan mainly to attend the summit, at the invitation of Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev.
