PARIS: Pakistan and France on Tuesday agreed to further increase the cooperation in different fields including education, health, economy and energy sectors. Addressing a joint press conference French President Francoise Hollande and President Asif Ali Zardari, following their talks at Elysee Palace, said that they had discussed regional situation and increasing co-operation between the two countries.
President Asif Ali Zardari said he held very useful and constructive discussion with his French counterpart President Francoise Hollande and discussed bilateral issues and co-operation in many fields. President Zardari said Pakistan and France are good partners, and expressed the hope that co-operation and co-ordination would continue in future as it remained in the past.
The President said Pakistan has been making efforts for providing equal opportunities of education to both boys and girls as Pakistan wants that the young generation should be given the chance to study, to live normal life and live like other children of the world.
Referring to case of Malala, he said every child has the right to get education. The President said "We are committed towards democracy and working against the threat of mindset of terrorism," The French President said his discussion with President Zardari was very good and encouraging. He said they discussed all the issues and co-operation in the field of education, health, defence and economy.
He said the France has continued its offer in different fields including health and education. He said France is also an active part of many European Union programmes, especially in health. Replying to a question on the co-operation in energy sector, the French President said France would extend its full help and co-operation to Pakistan to meet its energy requirements. He said they also discussed the future of Afghanistan and discussed the necessity to tackle terrorism and drug trafficking which was the main issue of the world and added it required international co-operation.
He said the role of Pakistan in the stability and security in the region was also discussed during the meeting in order to help ensure stability and ease tension in the region. He said for this purpose, France has been holding talks with the international community.
The French President said both the leaders also discussed nuclear issue and exchanged views on this important subject. Earlier during the meeting with the French President at Elysee Palace, President Zardari said that Pakistan seeks to have a broad-based and multifaceted partnership with France for further strengthening the existing bilateral relations and to explore, for mutual benefit, new opportunities for enhancing trade and deepening people to people contacts.
The President said that Pakistan regards France as an important economic and development partner of Pakistan, both bilaterally and in the context of the European Union, and wanted to further strengthen its equation with France. He said that the existing level of bilateral relations and mutual co-operation provided solid basis for transforming the relationship into a comprehensive strategic partnership encompassing the entire spectrum of the bilateral relations in political, security, trade, culture and science and education fields for mutual benefit.
The President said that the two countries need to work together for further strengthening their economic relations and reiterated the call for greater trade and market access facilitation. He said that Pakistan offered great opportunities to the foreign investors by putting in place the most friendly investment regime. He said that around 40 French companies in Pakistan were engaged in profitable business ventures and the facilitation offered by the government provided grounds for greater French investment in the country.
The President offered French entrepreneurs to enter into joint ventures in Pakistan in diverse areas of energy, agriculture, textiles, agro-based industry, infrastructure and communication to the mutual advantage. The President also emphasised the need to further promote interaction between the business communities of the two countries.
On this occasion, President Zardari reiterated his call for continued assistance in securing for Pakistan greater market access in the European Union. He said that Pakistan seeks greater trade opportunities for strengthening its war-ravaged and calamities- stricken economy.
The President said that socio-economic uplift of the people of the militancy infected areas was essential to defeat the militants who exploited poverty and joblessness to attract the recruits. The President said that Pakistan welcomes EU's decision to revise the GSP Scheme recommending an upward revision of the import vulnerability criterion. He said Pakistan looked forward to the GSP + status.
He said that the EU was the single largest trading partner of Pakistan and increased trade with it would help enhance Pakistan's capability to address terrorism in line with Government's strategy of Development, Dialogue and Deterrence. He said that Pakistan was committed to undertaking all the measures that promised young generations a better future and peace. In this context, the President reiterated Pakistan's abiding interest in peace and stability of Afghanistan and of the region.
He said that Pakistan would continue to support an Afghan-led, Afghan-owned and Afghan-driven reconciliation and peace process and was willing to provide every possible support to it. He said that the actions taken recently by Pakistan in response to requests from the Afghan government, proved Pakistan's sincerity of purpose. The two sides were of the view that there was an urgent need to address the issue of drug trafficking with greater international co-operation.
President Zardari highlighted that illicit drug trade posed a serious challenge to the foundations of the regional countries and to the peace of the region. He said that drug mafias have a nexus with terrorist organisations and crime syndicates and are linked with arms smuggling, human trafficking and money-laundering. He emphasised upon the need for greater focus of the international community to address the issue of drug trafficking on urgent basis.
Regional situation also came under discussion during the meeting. French President Francois Hollande appreciated the efforts of the President Zardari for promoting the cause of education. He said that the visit of the President to attend high-level event for promotion of girls' education, reflected the commitment of the leadership to the cause.
He said that France would continue to provide every possible assistance to the Government of Pakistan in its efforts to have greater trade opportunities and to enhance its capacity to fight militancy. He also assured the President continued assistance in the education sector. President Zardari also invited Francois Hollande to visit Pakistan saying that his visit would provide impetus to further strengthening the bilateral relations of the two countries. President Francois accepted the invitation.