ISLAMABAD, Pakistan: Pakistan and Argentina have agreed to further enhance their bilateral cooperation in a number of areas including trade, agriculture, health, pharmaceuticals, and environmental sciences.
The understanding was reached during the 4th Round of Bilateral Political Consultations between Pakistan and Argentina held via Video Conference on Thursday.
In the Consultations, the Pakistani delegation was led by the Additional Secretary (Americas) Faisal Niaz Tirmizi, and included Pakistan’s Ambassador in Argentina Dr. Muhammad Khalid Ejaz, and Senior Officials of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Commerce, Climate Change, and National Health Service, Regulations, & Coordination.
The Argentine delegation was headed by the Undersecretary (Foreign Policy) Mr. Jose Luis Perez Gabilondo.
The Undersecretary (Multilateral and Bilateral Economic Negotiations) and other Senior Officials were also present.
In the wide-ranging discussion, Pakistan and Argentina agreed to hold the Joint Trade Committee meeting over a digital platform.
The Pakistani side highlighted the importance to Gwadar Port as a gateway for providing market access to Argentine commodity and mineral products to the region.
In the discussion, the successful handling of the COVID-19 pandemic and the provision of social protection to the vulnerable segments in Pakistan were apprised.
In addition, a detailed briefing on the Ten Billion Tree Plantation drive was also provided.
Next year, Pakistan and Argentina will be celebrating the 70th year of the establishment of diplomatic relations in a befitting manner in both Countries.
The two sides discussed the need to enhance people-to-people contacts through cultural exchanges, sports, visa facilitation.
They also took stock of bilateral agreements and memorandums of understanding (MoUs).
Besides, the two sides provided their perspectives on regional issues, UN Security Council reforms, and collaboration at multilateral fora.
While appreciating President Alberto Fernandez’s latter in response to Prime Minister Imran Khan’s outreach on the Global Initiative on Debt Relief, the need for a coordinated global effort in enhancing the capacity of developing and middle-income nations was also underscored.
The Pakistani side extended an invitation to the Argentine Foreign Minister Felipe Sola to visit Pakistan in the near future.
Official Statement of Foreign Office adds:
4th Round of Bilateral Political Consultations between Pakistan and Argentina
Mr. Faisal Niaz Tirmizi, Additional Secretary (Americas), Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Pakistan and Ambassador Jose Luis Perez Gabilondo, Under Secretary Foreign Policy, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, International Trade and Worship of the Argentine Republic led the 4th round of Bilateral Political Consultations between Pakistan and Argentina via video conference on 22 October 2020. Representatives from the Ministry of Climate Change and Ministry of Commerce of Pakistan also attended the meeting.
During the consultations, a wide range of bilateral, regional and multilateral matters of mutual interest were discussed. The Additional Secretary underscored that ever since the establishment of diplomatic relations between Pakistan and Argentina in October 1951, the two countries have enjoyed a cordial relationship based on mutual respect and understanding. He underlined the need to mark the completion of 70 years of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries in a befitting manner.
The Additional Secretary emphasized the importance of expanding bilateral trade between Pakistan and Argentina by increasing interaction at multiple levels and by holding virtual meeting of the Joint Trade Committee in the first quarter of 2021. The Additional Secretary expressed desire to reactivate Pakistan’s Antarctic Programme, and for undertaking more research expeditions to Antarctica by the Pakistani experts with the collaboration of Argentina.
The Additional Secretary highlighted the plight of the people of the Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu & Kashmir (IIOJK) and underlined that India continued to unleash a reign of terror in the IIOJK even during the challenging times of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The exchange of views also covered impact of COVID-19 on the national and global economy and measures to mitigate the effects of the pandemic on the lives of the common people. The Additional Secretary reiterated the offer extended by the DRAP to export locally-produced ventilators to Argentina.
The Prime Minister’s ‘Global Initiative on Debt Relief’ for the developing countries and cooperation in the fields of climate change including Prime Minister’s initiative for Ten Billion Planation Drive, sports, culture and people-to-people contacts through visa facilitation also came under discussion. The Additional Secretary also highlighted the importance of Parliamentary exchanges between the two countries and mutual cooperation in such fora as the IPU.
The two sides also took stock of the under-process bilateral agreements and MOUs. A Memorandum of Understanding on Cooperation in the field of Sanitary and Phyto-Sanitary issues related to Bilateral Trade between the Ministry of National Food Security and Research of Pakistan and the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries of the Argentine Republic was signed in Buenos Aires by the Ambassador of Pakistan in Argentina and the Minister for Agriculture Livestock and Fisheries of Argentina.
The Additional Secretary, on the behalf of Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi, also extended an invitation to the Foreign Minister of Argentina to visit Pakistan at a mutually convenient date.
