Pakistan, given its geo-strategic location, is playing a pivotal role in maintaining peace and stability in a region facing many challenges and wants resolution of all outstanding issues through dialogue, Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz said on Saturday.
He was talking to Micheline Calmy-Rey, Foreign Minister of Switzerland who called on him at the Prime Minister House. The Prime Minister said Pakistan values friendship with Switzerland and emphasised that the bilateral relations between the two countries should be multifaceted.
He stressed more co-operation between the two countries particularly in the areas of science and technology, livestock and agricultural sector and pharmaceuticals where technology transfer can assist Pakistan to add value to its existing industries.
A host of issues relating to further expansion of bilateral ties between Pakistan and Switzerland, regional and international issues came under discussion.
Talking of inter-faith harmony, the Prime Minister called upon international community to work harder to promote interfaith and inter-civilisation harmony.
"Interfaith harmony is the best gift we can give to our future generations. People belonging to all faiths need to do more to promote interfaith harmony to ensure a safer, more prosperous future", the Shaukat said.
On Afghanistan, the Prime Minister underlined the need for the world to do more to assist the country in its reconstruction process.
On the Iranian nuclear issue, the Prime Minister said that Pakistan is opposed to nuclear proliferation.
However, he added, Iran has a right to use nuclear energy for peaceful purposes under the IAEA safeguards. Pakistan is in favour of a peaceful resolution of the issue through dialogue and is opposed to any coercive measures against Iran, he added.
The use of force against Iran will further aggravate the regional situation, the Prime Minister added.
Referring to Pak-India relations, Shaukat said that Pakistan is engaged in a dialogue process with India for the resolution of all outstanding issues including the core dispute of Kashmir.
He stressed that a sustainable peace in the region would be possible only after the resolution of the Kashmir issue acceptable to all the three parties ie Pakistan, India and the people of Kashmir.
On the issue of terrorism, Prime Minister Aziz expressed Pakistan's resolve to fight the menace out of conviction that it is in the country's own national interest.
Talking of the economic and structural reforms agenda of the government, the Prime Minister said this process was holistic, broad-based and covered every sector. Pakistan has gained an impressive economic recovery, which is now widely recognised across the world.
Swiss Foreign Minister, Calmy-Rey expressed the desire to enhance co-operation between Pakistan and Switzerland in economic and social sectors. She welcomed the rising investments in Pakistan by Swiss businessmen.
She appreciated the investment friendly policies of Pakistan and said that Swiss companies operating in Pakistan are happy and are planning to make more investments.
She agreed with Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz on the need to promote interfaith dialogue to create a better understanding between people belonging to various faiths. She acknowledged the Pakistan's key role in the region.
Calmy-Rey emphasised the need to solve Iranian nuclear issue and challenges faced by Middle East through diplomatic efforts.
The meeting was attended among others by Federal Minister for Foreign Affairs Khurshid Mehmood Kasuri, Denis Feldmeyer, ambassador of Switzerland in Pakistan and senior officials.
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