ISLAMABAD, Pakistan: Pakistan and Lithuania have agreed to enhance bilateral cooperation, especially in the spheres of economy, trade, energy, investment, Information Technology (IT), science and technology, education, culture and parliamentary exchanges.
The understanding was reached when the 5th Round of Pakistan-Lithuania Bilateral Political Consultations was held on Tuesday in Vilnius, the Capital of Lithuania, the Foreign Office said in a press release issued on Wednesday.
The Pakistan side was led by the Additional Secretary (Europe) Ambassador Zaheer A. Janjua while the Director for Latin America, Africa, Asia and Pacific Department, Ministry of Foreign Affairs Ambassador Eduardas Borisovas headed the Lithuanian delegation.
The two sides reviewed the entire spectrum of bilateral relations and the evolving peace and security situations in their respective regions. They also had a detailed exchange of views on regional and international issues of importance and agreed to continue collaborating at the United Nations and other multilateral fora.
The additional secretary briefed on Pakistan’s efforts to reach out to Afghanistan and India as part of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s vision for a peaceful neighborhood.
The ambassador Zaheer A. Janjua reaffirmed Pakistan’s readiness to constructively contribute towards the promotion of peace and stability in Afghanistan as well as commitment to dialogue with India for the resolution of all outstanding issues, including the Jammu and Kashmir dispute. He also highlighted the atrocities being perpetrated by the Indian security forces against unarmed innocent Kashmiri civilians.
The additional secretary (Europea) apprised the Lithuanian side of Pakistan’s credentials for the membership of the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) while emphasizing the need for a criteria-based, non-discriminatory approach for new non-NPT member states.
Pakistan and Lithuania closely cooperate on bilateral and multilateral issues.
The Annual Bilateral Political Consultations provide a useful platform to review progress in various fields and identify opportunities for future cooperation.
The last session of these consultations was held in Islamabad in April 2014 and the next session will be held in Islamabad at mutually convenient dates.
