Pakistan's Ambassador to Moscow Abdul Mateen Khan has said that Moscow and Islamabad are enjoying good relations and it would further improve with the passage of time.
In an interview with Radio Moscow he said that President Pervez Musharraf and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin held talks on the sidelines of the fifth meeting of Shanghi Co-operation Organisation (SCO) in July this year. Expressing satisfaction over the existing relationship, the two leaders said that there was possibility of further strengthening ties between the two countries.
To a question he said that there have been many bilateral meeting during the current year, especially those of joint working groups. He further said that a meeting of joint working groups to discuss anti-terrorism measures was held in Moscow on June 14. "The participants discussed measures how to deal with terrorism measures bilaterally and at the UN level. Stability and regional security situation also came up for discussion during a joint working group meeting", he added.
The Pakistan Ambassador said that all aspects relating to security stability, including deweaponisation of the region were discussed. Many issues, including international, regional bilateral, political, trade and economic were discussed in detail at Foreign Office level talks between the two countries, he added.
To a question about the trade ties between the two countries he said that there has been 50 percent increase in trade between the two countries during the last two years. A draft trade agreement is under consideration to give trade concessions to each other and Pakistan is in favour of reducing trade tariff on Russian goods, he added.
To another query the ambassador said that the bilateral trade and economic ties are also likely to be strengthened between the two sides. Both governments are endeavouring to create an atmosphere conducive for traders and businessmen of the two countries to participate in trade economic activities. Besides Pakistani businessmen are taking part regularly in exhibitions in Russia, he added.
He said that the businessmen display their country's products including cloth, spices, and leather goods. There is a great demand for Pakistan textile in Russia, he claimed.