BISHKEK, Sep 02 (APP):Pakistan and Kyrgyzstan on Wednesday signed an agreement to raise their bilateral trade volume to US$ 200 million within two years, amid Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif calling the current annual trade of US$ 16 million between the two countries far too low given the depth of their relationship. The agreement was signed at Bishkek airport shortly before the prime minister's departure for home, with Deputy Prime …
Pakistan, Kyrgyzstan sign agreement to boost bilateral trade to US$ 200 mln in two years
BISHKEK, Sep 02 (APP):Pakistan and Kyrgyzstan on Wednesday signed an agreement to raise their bilateral trade volume to US$ 200 million within two years, amid Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif calling the current annual trade of US$ 16 million between the two countries far too low given the depth of their relationship.
The agreement was signed at Bishkek airport shortly before the prime minister’s departure for home, with Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Muhammad Ishaq Dar and Kyrgyz Foreign Minister Zheenbek Kulubaev putting pen to paper and exchanging the documents. Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif were both present at the ceremony.
Speaking to media at the airport, the prime minister said the two sides had held positive meetings and, alongside discussions on other matters, had agreed to expand trade between Pakistan and Kyrgyzstan. He said the two countries enjoyed good, brotherly relations, but that annual trade of just US$ 16 million was extremely low compared to the strength of the bilateral relationship.
The prime minister said he had proposed to the Kyrgyz President that, instead of a memorandum of understanding, the two countries signed a full agreement to raise bilateral trade to US$ 200 million within two years, calling it an important step toward achieving that target. He said President Japarov had agreed to the proposal, and the agreement was accordingly signed at the airport.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif thanked President Japarov for agreeing to the accord aimed at taking bilateral trade to US$ 200 million within two years.
