Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani expressed satisfaction over the increasing trade volume between Pakistan and Germany saying that the trade volume between two countries reached to around 2.388 billion dollars in 2008 and Germany has now become Pakistan's largest trading partner in the European Union.
"Regular exchanges between people's representatives would bring the people of the two countries closer and would help in further strengthening the cordial bilateral ties based on mutual respect and similarity of views on various regional and international issues", the Prime Minister said while talking to German Parliamentary delegation headed by Sebastian Edathy, which called on him here on Monday.
The other members of the delegation included Holger Ortel, Staffen Reiche, Dr Norman Paech. German Ambassador was also present in the meeting. He lauded the decision of German government to increase its development assistance for Pakistan from euro 34 million to euro 81 million during the current fiscal year.
Prime Minister Gilani mentioned about Insead Business School that declared Germany as the second most innovative nation after the US. Pakistan would appreciate co-operation between the scientific institutions and personnel of the two countries and hoped that draft agreement in this regard would soon materialise, he added.
He also commended Germany for being the world leader in vocational and technical training and sought German parliamentarians' support for Pakistan's proposals regarding assistance in vocational and human development fields. Highlighting Pakistan's sacrifices and efforts to stamp out extremism and terrorism, the Prime Minister said that Pakistan being a frontline state has suffered the most both in terms of human loss as well as economically.
He said Pakistan wants friendly ties with all its neighbours, as regional approach is imperative to confront this challenge collectively. He said Pakistan would like to see stable and prosperous Afghanistan as it is in Pakistan's interest. Speaking on the occasion, Sebastian Edathy said that Germany consider Pakistan a very important ally and a leader of the Muslim world.
He assured his country's fullest support to Pakistan saying that the relations between the two countries are not restricted to Afghanistan's situation but are based on broader bilateral canvas of mutual advantage. Germany would not leave Pakistan alone and would provide support enabling it to overcome its present difficulties, he added.
He agreed with the Prime Minister on the need of further strengthening trade, economic, investment, scientific and cultural ties, and said that his delegation would be visiting Karachi to meet the office bearers of Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry to explore the possibility of establishing German-Pakistan chamber's office in Karachi.
He expressed the confidence that it would lead to enhanced interaction between small and medium enterprises of the two countries and provide further impetus for enhanced bilateral trade. Sebastian Edathy apprised the Prime Minister that Germany would consider increasing Gaad scholarships for Pakistani students and would also cooperate for the establishment of an engineering university in Lahore. He also offered his country's assistance in training of Pakistan's law enforcement agencies' personnel through German police to build their capacity in Pakistan's campaign against terrorism.