Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi undertakes official visit to Romania, Spain

• Foreign ministers review entire gamut of bilateral relations.
• Discussions focus on exploring possibilities to deepen engagement in different sectors of commerce & trade, investment, defence, education, labour, science & technology, and culture.
• President Batet thanks Shah for Pakistan’s assistance in evacuation of people of their concern from Afghanistan. 
  

BUCHAREST: Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi undertook an official visit to Romania from January 9 to January 10, 2022, at the invitation of the Foreign Minister of Romania, Bogdan Aurescu.

During the bilateral talks, the two foreign ministers reviewed the entire gamut of bilateral relations. Discussions were held focusing on exploring possibilities to further deepen engagement in different sectors, including commerce and trade, investment, defence, education, labour, science and technology, and culture. 

The two countries agreed to hold the next round of Bilateral Political Consultations in Islamabad and to revive the Joint Economic Commission. 

Qureshi appreciated Romania’s support for Pakistan within the European Union (EU), particularly for GSP+ status.

Exchanging views on regional issues, the foreign minister briefed his Romanian counterpart on Pakistan’s efforts for a peaceful and stable Afghanistan and the ongoing human rights violations in the Indian Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IOJK).

Pakistan and Romania signed two MoUs during the visit relating to Award of scholarships to Pakistani students by the Politehnica University of Bucharest; and Cooperation between the Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FPCCI) and Romanian Chamber of Commerce & Industry (RCCI).

The Foreign Minister also called on the Romanian Prime Minister Nicolae Ciuca and reiterated Pakistan’s desire to build a broad-based and substantive relationship with Romania. 

He thanked the Romanian government for announcing the gift of 500,000 doses of the COVID vaccine to Pakistan. 

Prime Minister Ciuca appreciated Pakistan’s facilitation in the evacuation of Romanian nationals from Afghanistan.

During the meeting with the Romanian minister for economy, the two sides appreciated increasing bilateral trade despite COVID and discussed ways to further enhance economic ties.

Aurescu took to his official Twitter account and wrote: "Glad to welcome FM Shah Mehmood Qureshi today for in-depth political consultations, including a follow-up to valuable recent contacts. We discussed perspectives & concrete ways to advance our political dialogue, economic ties, sectoral coop. and people-to-people relations."

Earlier, Qureshi inaugurated the "Pakistan Cultural & Trade Exhibition Center" at the Embassy of Pakistan in Bucharest. The Centre will serve as a venue for a permanent exhibition of Pakistani export items and for holding cultural events aimed at promoting tourism and soft image of the country. 

Addressing the Pakistani community in Romania, Qureshi underlined steps being taken by the government for ensuring the welfare of the Pakistani diaspora.

Pakistan and Romania enjoy close and friendly ties. Both sides have similarities of views on important regional and global matters and have traditionally cooperated on various international forums. 

Qureshi meets Spain's Congress of Deputies president

MADRID: FM Qureshi called on the President of Congress of Deputies of Spain Meritxell Batet and discussed ways to strengthen Pakistan-Spain bilateral relations in diverse fields.

Emphasising the significance of parliamentary exchanges, the foreign minister extended invitation to the Spanish Parliamentarians to visit Pakistan, which would help in cementing the ongoing areas of cooperation.

Batet agreed with Shah that the menace of COVID-19 needed to be dealt through global cooperation by judicious distribution of vaccine and provision of fiscal space to the developing countries for investment in the health sectors and to kick start their economies.

President Batet thanked Shah for Pakistan’s assistance in the evacuation of people of their concern from Afghanistan. The two sides voiced converging views on the need for retaining the trained human resource within Afghanistan to manage the operation of various State and social institutions.

Highlighting the recent 17th Extraordinary Session of OIC Council of the Foreign Ministers (OIC-CFM) hosted by Pakistan on December 19, 2021, to address the urgent humanitarian situation in Afghanistan, the foreign minister reiterated the need for engaging interim government in Afghanistan by the international community. 

He appreciated the interest by the EU and donation of 20 million Euros by Spain in humanitarian support of the Afghan people. The commitment of Spanish government to play a supporting role in guaranteeing the education of children, particularly Afghan women and girls, was highly commendable.

Batet accepted Shah's invitation to lead a parliamentary delegation to Pakistan in near future.

This visit was undertaken with a view to enhancing Pakistan’s engagement with European Union Members, particularly enhancing the economic interface and sharing Pakistan’s viewpoint on important regional issues.  

 — Thumbnail image: Twitter/@SMQureshiPTI