ISLAMABAD, Pakistan: The visiting Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Belarus Sergei Aleinik and the Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari held wide ranging talks at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Islamabad on Tuesday.
During their meeting, the two foreign ministers had substantive discussion on a variety of topics including political, economic, technological, cultural, educational and multilateral cooperation in an atmosphere of friendship and mutual understanding.
FM @BBhuttoZardari & FM Aleinik held wide ranging talks at Mofa today. They reaffirmed long-term goals for 🇵🇰🇧🇾 partnership & agreed to strengthen economic ties, expand trade & investment, foster scientific collaboration, promote cultural exchanges, & deepen ppl-to-ppl contacts. pic.twitter.com/QuzlA0it1S
— Spokesperson 🇵🇰 MoFA (@ForeignOfficePk) May 30, 2023
The two sides agreed to take practical measures to translate the mutual goodwill between the two governments and their peoples into tangible cooperation in different fields.
The foreign ministers expressed satisfaction with the friendly relations based on mutual respect, friendship and trust established between the Republic of Belarus and the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, and highly appreciated the bilateral meetings and interaction at the highest and high levels that have taken place in recent years.
The ministers appreciated the holding of the 6th Session of the Joint Belarusian-Pakistani Commission on Trade and Economic Cooperation on January 12-13, 2023 in Minsk under the chairmanship of the Minister of Energy of the Republic of Belarus Viktor Karankevich and the Federal Minister of Energy of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan Khurram Dastgir Khan.
The ministers expressed their interest in strengthening cooperation within the framework of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), the United Nations and other international organizations on matters of mutual interest, and reaffirmed their readiness to mutually support each other.
Meanwhile, the Foreign Ministers of Pakistan and Belarus signed the Agreement on Visa Abolition for Holders of Diplomatic and Official Passports.
The agreement would enhance interaction and exchanges between the two Countries and facilitate travel of diplomats and government functionaries.
The two foreign ministers noted the desire of both Countries to expand the legal framework of bilateral relations and welcomed the signing of the agreement between Belarus and Pakistan on the Abolition of Visas for Holders of Diplomatic and Service Passports as well as between Institute of Strategic Studies, Islamabad and Belarus Institute of Strategic Research.
The foreign ministers intend to support business initiatives aimed at development of trade and industrial cooperation between the two Countries, among other things, through the participation in exhibitions and fair events in both countries, holding face-to-face and online negotiations, business councils.
Taking into consideration, that February 3, 2024 will mark the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Belarus and Pakistan, the ministers welcomed the intention to develop a plan of joint events dedicated to the anniversary of diplomatic relations.
The Belarusian Foreign Minister Sergei Aleinik expressed his gratitude for the reception given to the Belarusian delegation and invited his Pakistani Counterpart Bilawal Bhutto Zardari to visit the Republic of Belarus at a convenient time.
The invitation was accepted with gratitude and the dates of the visit will be finalized through diplomatic channels.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Belarus Sergei Aleinik is in Pakistan on a two-day official visit from May 30 to 31, 2023 on the invitation of Bilawal Bhutto Zardari.
During the visit, the Belarusian Foreign Minister Sergei Aleinik will also pay a courtesy call on Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif and the Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Asim Munir in addition to holding comprehensive delegation-level bilateral talks.
Sergei Aleinik will also hold a meeting with the Minister of Economic Affairs Sardar Ayaz Sadiq.
