ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and Spain have agreed to expand cooperation in diverse fields, including trade, economy, agriculture, renewable energy, tourism, digitalisation, startups, and food processing areas.

This was agreed in the 5th round of Annual Bilateral Consultations between the two countries held in Madrid on Tuesday, Foreign Office said.

The Pakistan side was led by Foreign Secretary Dr Asad Majeed Khan, while the Spanish side was led by Secretary of State for Foreign and Global Affairs Angeles Moreno Bau. The foreign secretary was assisted by Ambassador of Pakistan to Spain Shujjat Ali Rathore and senior officials.

“The two sides discussed the need to further strengthen and diversify bilateral relations. It was agreed to expand cooperation in trade, economy, agriculture, renewable energy, tourism, digitalisation, startups and food processing areas,” said a statement of the Foreign Office.

It stated that the foreign secretary underscored the importance Pakistan attaches to the GSP Plus scheme and thanked the Spanish side for its continued support in this regard. He also invited the Spanish companies to take advantage of Pakistan’s liberal investment regime and produce, source, and market products in Pakistan.

The two sides discussed climate change issues and agreed to intensify cooperation in addressing the challenges posed by climate change. The foreign secretary briefed the secretary of state about the International Conference on Climate Resilient Pakistan held in Geneva last month and appreciated the international community including Spain for the generous support to Pakistan.

Issues of regional and global importance were also discussed, according to the statement. It added that the foreign secretary stressed that terrorism was a threat to regional peace and stability and emphasised the importance of collective efforts to deal with this menace. He reiterated Pakistan’s commitment to a peaceful, stable, prosperous and connected Afghanistan.

The foreign secretary briefed the secretary of state on the situation in South Asia and India’s repressive policies and human rights violations in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK). He said that the international community should play its role in resolving the Kashmir dispute in accordance with the relevant UNSC resolutions and aspirations of the Kashmiri people, the statement added.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2023