Pakistan and Tajikistan on Tuesday vowed to enhance cooperation in the fields of energy, trade, agriculture, health and communication while identifying peace in Afghanistan as seminal for regional stability. The decision of enhancing mutual cooperation was taken during bilateral delegation level talks between Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani and Tajik President Emomali Rahmon at the PM House.
Both the sides had signed a comprehensive Joint Declaration, covering all areas of co-operation and four agreements on Health, Food and Agriculture and Sports. After the deliberations, Prime Minister Gilani and Tajik President Emomali Rahmon addressed a joint press briefing.
"Both the countries enjoy similarity of views on all important issues. We are determined to enhance our friendship and partnership to new heights," said PM Gilani adding that relations between the two brotherly countries have grown especially during the last three years.
"Pakistan-Tajikistan Business Forum would open new horizon of co-operation to help boost bilateral relations," were the remarks of Tajik President. The forum is scheduled to be held in Karachi on today (Wednesday). The visiting delegation will hold meetings with the business community in Karachi as well. Gilani said that Pakistan attached great importance to further strengthening its brotherly relations and partnership with Tajikistan, adding that it is a matter of great satisfaction that both sides signed a comprehensive Joint Declaration.
In response to a question regarding CASA-1000 power project, the Tajik President said it was one of the first and biggest regional project that entails agreement of four countries including Tajikistan, Afghanistan, Pakistan and Kyrgyzstan. He said that a Canadian company had won the bid and was carrying out feasibility of the project, which he said would complete by May 1, 2011.
PM Gilan said that CASA-1000 project was extremely important for national interest of Tajikistan and Russia had also expressed desire to support the project. In response to a question regarding strategy to combat terrorism, Tajik President Emomali Rahmon said that terrorism had become a global phenomenon and any country alone, how powerful it be, cannot fight it. We have agreed to fight terrorism and drug trafficking, he added.
The Tajik President termed his talks with the Pakistani leadership, including the President and the Prime Minister, as "very substantive and constructive". PM Gilani said that Pakistan attached great importance to Tajikistan's regional role in maintaining peace and stability in Afghanistan and welcomes quadrilateral initiative as an extremely important step towards achieving stability in the region. He said that it was the first ever initiative of its kind that has dealt with security and trade related challenges under a broad framework and Pakistan remains a strong partner of this initiative.
Comments
Comments are closed.