Pak-Kazakhstan agree to further strengthen ties

Prime Minister of Pakistan, Syed Yusaf Raza Gilani, held talks here on Wednesday with Kazakh President Mr. Nursulan Nazarbayev and Prime Minister Karim Massimov, who were assisted by the Ministers,

Deputy Ministers, political figures and senior officials of the relevant Ministries of the both countries. They also held one-on-one meeting; meanwhile during the meetings the leadership of both countries agreed to further strengthen ties in different fields.
After the talks, the two Prime Ministers talked to the media, describing that the talks were held in a cordial and brotherly environment and the outcome of the talks was productive and forward looking both in the bi-lateral and the regional perspectives.

Prime Minister Gilani said that Kazakhstan was an important country and close neighbor with whom Islamabad shared a long history and close civilizational interaction. Indeed, it is both history and destiny that bind peoples of the two countries together, he added.

PM Gilani and the Kazakhstan leadership had shared perspectives nearly on all regional and global issues. Together they can realize the potential for development and peace for our people and the region as a whole.

The Prime Minister said that we had the opportunity to have fruitful exchange of views on enhancing connectivity between the two countries and developing effective transportation and communication links that hold key to jump-start the trade and people to people contacts between the two countries.

The Prime Minister offered to his counterpart to use Pakistan’s ports for overland trade, and that his country would be happy to provide special facilities for Kazakh trade.

The other important area is the energy sector that requires working closely to establish win-win cooperation. Economy, trade, agriculture, industry, defense, and defense production were among the subjects, which came under discussion in the talks, the Prime Minister said.
PM Gilani said that Pakistan attached particular importance to enhancing cultural and educational relations between the two countries.

The Prime Minister said that regional stability and peace is a matter of common concern to both the countries who can work together to promote prospects of stability and peace in Afghanistan. He said that Pakistan wanted sovereign, independent, peaceful and stable Afghanistan and supported the Afghan-led and Afghan-owned reconciliation process in the country. Pakistan is part of the solution of Afghanistan and not part of problem, PM Gilani stated.
Prime Minister Gilani extended an invitation to the President and the Prime Minister of Kazakhstan to visit Pakistan at a date convenient to them.

Kazakh Prime Minister Karim Massimov, while talking to the media, said that his country supported the Pakistan’s initiative of reconciliation process in Afghanistan and also recognized her role as vital to bring peace in Afghanistan, equally important for the region.’ Pakistan is part of solution and not part of problem’ stated the Kazak Prime Minister.

The Prime Minister appreciated the proposals mooted by the Prime Minister of Pakistan during the talks adding that he would carefully go through all these to initiate the process of consultation for the mutual benefit of the peoples of the both countries.

The Kazakh Prime Minister urged Prime Minister Gilani to commence direct flight of PIA between the two capitals, Islamabad and Astana, as it is only two and half hours flight, taking less time than the domestic flights operating in both the countries. The Prime Minister was of the view that the commencement of direct flight would justify the decision both in qualitative and in quantitative terms eventually as the trade and exchanges at all levels will get a boost to great proportions. The dividends will be immense in the long run, the Prime Minister observed.

On the proposals of connectivity, the Kazak Prime Minister said that the rail link between China and Kazakh would be established in December this year and it would be equally beneficial for Pakistan if it can link with the rail link which will consequently lead to realization of massive trade potentials between three countries besides strengthening the bonds among the peoples.

The Prime Minister warmly thanked the Prime Minister of Pakistan for visiting his country, which took place after sixteen years on the bilateral basis. The host Prime Minister emphasized the need of the frequent contacts at such levels between the two countries.

Both the countries agreed to make inter-governmental Commission between the two countries that would provide the mechanism to translate the vision of relations into reality between the two countries and also conceptualize the new areas for co-operation on regular basis. The two Prime Ministers also agreed to have regular consultations between the two Foreign Ministers.

The Pakistani delegation consisted of Punjab Governor, Sardar Latif Khan Khosa, Mr. Anwer Ali Cheema, Minister for Production, Qamar Zaman Kaira, MNA, Senator Haji Ghulam Ali (JUI-F) ,Defence Secretary, Mr. Faisal Ahmed, businessman. SANA