NEW YORK: In a meeting with his Turkish counterpart Mevlut Cavusoglu, Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari expressed commitment to work with Ankara to enhance economic cooperation and unleash the full potential of Pakistan-Turkey trade relations.
This was agreed upon on the sidelines of a ministerial-level meeting on the Global Food Security Call to Action held in New York, the Foreign Office said.
The two diplomats agreed to remain in close contact to maintain the upward trajectory and add momentum to the friendly ties between Pakistan and Turkey.
Expressing satisfaction over the excellent bilateral partnership between the two countries, Zardari reiterated Pakistan’s resolve to further enhance its wide-ranging cooperation with Turkey.
He noted that in November, the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Pakistan and Turkey would be celebrated in a befitting manner.
Zardari also thanked Ankara for its steadfast support and principled position on the Jammu and Kashmir dispute. He also briefed his counterpart on the so-called “Delimitation Commission” and India’s illegal steps in the occupied region.
Views were also exchanged on various international issues.
He appreciated Turkey’s role and contributions toward the promotion of peace and stability in the region.
He appreciated Turkey’s support to address the humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan.
Address to ministerial conference:
Later, in his address to the ministerial conference, Bilawal lauded the initiative to unite and mobilise the global community to respond to the urgent food security and nutrition needs of vulnerable people across the planet.
He highlighted the existential threats of climate change, the Covid pandemic and poverty faced by developing countries.
Bilawal called for dialogue and diplomacy to resolve disputes peacefully and work together to ensure that humanity was fed.
On Thursday, Bilawal also met US Congressman Ami Bera, Chairman of the US House Foreign Affairs Sub-Committee on Asia and the Pacific. The foreign minister said Pakistan and the US had a mutual desire to further strengthen their partnership and promote frequent exchanges between the lawmakers of the two countries.
“The foreign minister said that sustained engagement with the US Congress was essential for giving support to Pakistan-US ties, which had stood the test of time,” the FO said.
Bilawal said that recent re-engagement between the two countries had opened new doors for a broad-based relationship, especially in the areas of trade and investment, education and people-to-people contacts as well as enhanced parliamentary exchanges.
Congressman Bera appreciated FM Bilawal’s proactive outreach to enhance relations and thanked Pakistan for facilitating evacuations from Afghanistan.
“He said that a stable Afghanistan was in the mutual interest of both the US and Pakistan. The foreign minister highlighted the urgency of addressing the humanitarian situation in Afghanistan,” the FO said.
