MINSK, Belarus: Pakistan and Belarus have agreed to enhance their bilateral relations in various sectors including trade, agriculture, industry and investment.
In a joint news conference with Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko in Minsk on Monday after holding delegation level talks with him, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif said that working together will unlock the vast potential of mutually beneficial cooperation.
The prime minister said that during the meeting, they discussed relations between Pakistan and Belarus in all spheres particularly trade, industry, agriculture, investment, education, culture and tourism.
“We have agreed on several new initiatives which will further add substance to our existing ties,” Sharif said.
The Belarus president said that both the counties have agreed to enhance bilateral cooperation in agriculture, industry and pharmaceutical sectors.
President Alexander Lukashenko said that it has also been agreed to increase cooperation in fighting terrorism, extremism and smuggling.
Earlier delegation level talks were held between Pakistan and Belarus at which Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and President Alexander Lukashenko led their respective sides.
The two sides discussed all aspects of bilateral cooperation as well as matters of international and regional importance. They also exchanged views on likely cooperation in trade, industry, agriculture, investment, culture and education sectors.
In the talks, the prime minister said that Pakistan wants promotion of bilateral relations with Belarus in different sectors.
“We want to expand cooperation between the two countries in trade, defence and economic sectors,” he said.
The prime minister also offered to provide land for construction of Belarus’s embassy in Islamabad. He also invited President Alexander Lukashenko to visit Pakistan.
Earlier, the two countries signed 14 memorandums of understanding (MoUs) of cooperation in various fields.
Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif accompanied by Information Minister Pervaiz Rasheed, Minister for Food Security Sikandar Hayat Bosan, Minister for Defense Production Rana Tanveer and Special Assistant Tariq Fatemi is on a three-day visit to Belarus, the first ever by any Pakistani prime minister to the eastern European country.
