ISLAMABAD, Jan 27 (APP): Pakistan and Italy during the fifth round of annual Bilateral Political Consultations held on Wednesday discussed diverse range of matters including trade, energy and ways to address socio-economic impact of pandemic.
Foreign Secretary Sohail Mahmood led the Pakistan side, while Secretary General of Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Ambassador Elisabetta Belloni led the Italian delegation, at the virtual meeting.
“Entire spectrum of bilateral relations including fight against the pandemic, political, trade and economic relations, energy, defence, migration and people-to-people exchanges were reviewed during the consultations,” the Foreign Office said.
Besides discussing the regional and global issues, the two sides exchanged views to mitigate the adverse effects of pandemic.
Agreeing that Pakistan and Italy have exemplary relations based on mutual trust and principles of cooperation, the two sides resolved to further expand the relationship in all dimensions.
Foreign Secretary Sohail Mahmood expressed condolences over loss of lives in Italy due to COVID-19 and commended the efforts of the Italian Government in containing the pandemic.
He briefed his counterpart on the measures taken by the Government of Pakistan to control the second wave of COVID-19, while saving lives, securing livelihoods, and stimulating the economy.
The Foreign Secretary also briefed the Italian side on the vast investment opportunities and avenues in Pakistan and assured that Italian companies and investors would be fully facilitated in all sectors.
He thanked the Italian side for its support on GSP Plus status for Pakistan with the European Union.
The Foreign Secretary emphasized the need to increase business-to-business interface as soon as the Covid situation subsides.
He highlighted the importance of strong Pakistani diaspora in Italy, which he said, acted as a bridge between the two countries.
He appreciated Pakistan’s re-inclusion in the seasonal visa programme and non-seasonal work visas and stated that the two sides should work together to streamline matters related to migration.
The Foreign Secretary briefed the Italian side on the grave human rights situation in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu & Kashmir (IIOJK) and the attempts to change the demographic structure of the occupied territory.
He stressed that the international community must take full cognizance of the deteriorating situation in IIOJK and support peaceful settlement of Jammu and Kashmir dispute in accordance with relevant United Nations Security Council (UNSC) Resolutions.
With regard to Afghanistan, the Foreign Secretary underlined that there was no military solution to the conflict and that a negotiated political settlement was the only way forward.
He highlighted Pakistan’s positive contributions to the Afghan peace process and stressed the importance for the Afghan stakeholders to seize this historic opportunity to secure durable peace and stability in Afghanistan.
The Foreign Secretary underlined the need for reduction of violence leading to ceasefire and the imperative of an inclusive, broad-based and comprehensive political solution through an Afghan-led and Afghan-owned process.
The Foreign Secretary congratulated Italy on assuming Presidency of G-20 and co-Presidency of COP-26.
The two sides expressed satisfaction on existing strong cooperation at international fora, in particular at the United Nations, including on the issue of Security Council Reforms.
They agreed to work together to further deepen mutual cooperation in the multilateral arena.
The next round of Bilateral Political Consultations will be held in year 2022 on mutually agreed dates.
A tweet by Italy’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation said “extensive consultations” were held between Elisabetta Belloni and Foreign Secretary Sohail Mahmood.
The tweet mentioned that the agenda included fight against “COVID19, new impetus for economic partnership and industrial collaboration, effective multilateralism, UN Climate Change conference, Afghanistan and regional stability”.
