Pakistan and Kyrgyzstan on Tuesday agreed on reviving and making the four-country transit trade pact effective in a bid to strengthen regional economic co-operation. Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani who met his Kyrgyz counterpart Almazbek Atambaev following a round of talks agreed to remove obstacles for smooth and effective functioning of Quadrilateral Traffic in Transit Agreement'(QTTA) signed between Pakistan, China, Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan in 2004.
Gilani said Pakistan would also host a meeting of experts from the four member countries. He also discussed with his Kyrgyz counterpart ways to exploit the potential of co-operation in trade, infrastructure and communication. Gilani who arrived in the Kyrgyz capital on a two-day official visit, held formal talks with Prime Minister Atambaev at the Government House, that were followed by delegation-level talks. The two leaders agreed to promote expansion of bilateral relations by further cementing cultural and historical ties and taking them to higher level of co-operation.
A Foreign Office official privy to the meeting told APP that Prime Minister Gilani held comprehensive dialogue with his Kyrgyz counterpart, encompassing a wide range of issues and termed his visit as "opening of a new chapter in bilateral relations."
Gilani said Pakistan desired to see bilateral co-operation with Kyrgyzstan flourishing in all spheres, by institutionalising consultations between the two Foreign Ministries and exchange of parliamentary delegations on regular intervals. He said the tremendous potential in bilateral trade and commerce remained largely untapped. He stressed interaction between the Chambers of Commerce and Industry besides setting up a Joint Business Council.
He said connectivity remained an important element in enhancing trade and people-to-people interaction and stressed the establishment of direct air links with Kyrgyzstan. PM said Pakistan was pursuing regional stability, peace and prosperity and called upon the Kyrgyz government for jointly working to achieve shared objectives.
He said the situation in Afghanistan was a source of concern to Pakistan and Kyrgyzstan, and added that the common challenges could be overcome through mutual co-operation. The two prime ministers reiterated their resolve to co-operate on restoration of stability, peace and development in Afghanistan.
Kyrgyz Prime Minister Atambaev said his country attached great importance to its relations with Pakistan, and added that the visit of Prime Minister Gilani would help promote co-operation in various fields in future. Gilani mentioned that a number of Pakistani students were studying in Kyrgyzstan and said the institutional co-operation would bring the two countries closer in this critical field.
He said Pakistan had been offering courses to Kyrgyz officials in various spheres including diplomacy, railways and linguists, and was ready to offer more of such courses. Gilani invited Prime Minister Atambaev to visit Pakistan, which he accepted. Gilani was supported in his delegation-level talks by Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Hina Rabbani Khar, Secretary Defence Lieutenant General Syed Athar Ali (Retd), Pakistan's ambassador Tanvir Akhtar Khaskheli and President Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI) Senator Ghulam Ali, who is also leading a 12-member group of businessmen.
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