Pakistan keen to further strengthen bilateral ties with Bulgaria: PM
ISLAMABAD, Jan 19 (APP) - Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani on Wednesday said Pakistan regards Bulgaria, a member of the European Union, as an important friendly country and is keen to further strengthen bilateral relations in multi-faceted fields. While welcoming the first ever Foreign Ministerial level visit from Bulgaria to Pakistan, he said that the signing of an agreement of economic cooperation between the two countries would put in place the required framework for identifying new economic and trade opportunities for both the countries.
The Prime Minister was talking to Nickolay Miadenov, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Bulgaria who called on him here at the PM House on Wednesday afternoon.
Gilani welcomed the Government of Bulgaria’s decision to upgrade its Diplomatic Mission in Islamabad to the Ambassadorial level and expressed the hope that both sides will fast-track the finalization of talks for signing the MoUs and agreements on protection of investment, avoidance of double taxation, cooperation in the Defence sector, transfer of sentenced offenders and visa abolition on diplomatic and official passports between the two countries.
The Prime Minister underlined the need for exchange of trade delegations between the two sides and hoped that the Bulgarian government will encourage the visit of its buyers’ delegation to Pakistan this year.
He also called for facilitation in travel facilities to Pakistani businessmen to Bulgaria to enhance private sector level contacts between the two countries.
The Prime Minister expressed his gratitude for Bulgaria’s steadfast support to Pakistan in the EU for a trade concession package as well as on the issues of grant of GSP Plus facilities and negotiations on Free Trade Agreement between Pakistan and the EU.
The Prime Minister hoped that Government of Bulgaria will continue assisting Pakistan in this regard even in the future. He also hoped that the cooperation between the two sides in defence, education and economic fields will be enhanced through concerted efforts.
The Prime Minister apprised the Bulgarian Foreign Minister of his government’s initiative of having cordial relations with Afghanistan and India.
He emphasized that Pakistan was part of the solution in restoration of peace and stability as well as success of reconciliation process in Afghanistan and will assist the Afghan Government in every possible way to achieve these goals.
The Prime Minister also hoped that India would resume the composite dialogue with Pakistan to address all the bilateral contentious issues particularly the Kashmir dispute through peaceful means.
Foreign Minister of Bulgaria Nickolay Miadenov assured the Prime Minister that even though it was a first Foreign Ministerial visit from Sofia to Islamabad, Pakistan had a real and dependable friend in EU in the shape of Bulgaria.
He reciprocated the Prime Minister’s desire of having a strong and substantive relationship between the two countries and assured the Prime Minister that the MoUs and agreements presently under negotiations between the two sides will be finalized in the shortest possible time.
The agreement on cooperation between the two Ministries of Defence, he added, will hopefully be signed during the forthcoming visit of Bulgarian Minister for Defence to Pakistan.
Nicolay Miadenov said that during his current visit, he has been able to identify a number of opportunities for cooperation particularly in the economic sectors.
Nickolay Miadenov praised the government and the people of Pakistan for their unprecedented and unmatched sacrifices in the war against terror.
He further stated that regrettably the role and sacrifices of Pakistan in the war against terrorism were not duly and appropriately acknowledged in the world.
He termed terrorism as the common enemy of both the countries and hoped that cooperation in combating this menace will be further strengthened.
Nicolay Miadenov also appreciated Pakistan’s pivotal role for the peace in Afghanistan and hoped that Pakistan-India relations will also improve for the larger benefit of the region through the concerted efforts of both sides in the future.
Minister for Foreign Affairs Makhdoom Shah Mehmood Qureshi, Minister of State for Finance and Economic Affairs Division Hina Rabbani Khar, Senator Syeda Sughra Imam, Foreign Secretary and other senior officials were also present in the meeting.