ISLAMABAD, Oct 6 (APP): Pakistan and the Republic of
Belarus have reaffirmed their resolve to achieve the target of
$ 1 billion trade volume between the two countries by 2020.
This resolve was reaffirmed by two sides during the
three day (October 4 6) productive visit of President
Alexander Lukashenko of Belarus to Pakistan, that concluded
here on Thursday.
President Lukashenko, who visited Pakistan at the
invitation of Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif, was
accompanied by the Deputy Prime Minister, five Ministers,
other high level officials and a 23 men business delegation,
a foreign office statement issued here said.
Apart from delegation level talks between President of
Belarus and the Prime Minister, President Lukashenko also met the President of Pakistan, who hosted a banquet in honour of the visiting dignitary.
The Speaker of National Assembly also called on President Lukashenko.
The Prime Minister and Belarusian President signed a
Joint Statement; issued a commemorative postage stamp and jointly inaugurated the fourth Pakistan Belarus Business and Investment Forum.
Both sides signed 14 Agreements and MoUs in the areas of
finance, trade, aviation, science & technology, vocational
training and education.
They also exchanged notes on three instruments of ratification enabling their entry into force i.e. Treaty on
Friendship and Cooperation, Treaty on Mutual Legal Assistance in Civil and Commercial Matters and the Agreement on Mutual Legal Assistance in Customs Matters.
The Deputy Prime Minister of Belarus, who had arrived
prior to the Presidential visit along with a high level
delegation, inaugurated the Pakistan Belarus Centre on Science and Technological Cooperation in Islamabad.
The two countries are also establishing Urdu and
Belarusian language chairs in respective capitals.
The Prime Minister and President Lukashenko, while
reviewing the entire spectrum of bilateral relations,
underlined the importance of further deepening of political,
trade and economic ties, inter parliamentary linkages and
enhancing cultural and educational relations.
The two countries also signed a comprehensive “Joint
Statement’ reiterating their determination to further
consolidate bilateral ties in all fields.
According to the foreign office, “the “Joint Statement’
reflects commonality of views on important regional and
international issues; it inter alia underlines the importance
of resolving all outstanding issues between Pakistan India
relations including the Jammu and Kashmir issue through
peaceful means and in accordance with UN Security Council
resolutions and emphasizes the importance of a non
discriminatory approach to the issue of non NPT states
membership in the NSG based on consensus. The statement also acknowledges the important role of Pakistan in the peace and reconciliation process in Afghanistan.”
This was the fourth leadership visit between two
countries and a second visit by the Belarusian President to
Pakistan in a span of sixteen months.
President Lukashenko invited the Prime Minister to pay
his second visit to Belarus.
The invitation was accepted. The frequency of high level visits and interaction are reflective of the growing relations between Pakistan and Belarus.
