–Pakistan congratulates Azerbaijan over Nagorno-Karabakh’s liberation
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and Azerbaijan have agreed to promote cooperation in the areas of energy and economy.
The agreement was reached during delegation level talks held between the two countries in Islamabad on Thursday.
While talking to Azerbaijan’s Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov, President Dr Arif Alvi underlined the need for expanding the bilateral volume of trade and further promotion of cultural and commercial cooperation between the two countries.
The president congratulated the government and people of Azerbaijan over the liberation of Nagorno Karabakh. He said that Pakistan highly values its relations with Azerbaijan which are based on common faith and cultural linkages.
Azerbaijan’s foreign minister said that both the countries have a great potential for increasing trade and cultural cooperation. He thanked Pakistan for supporting Azerbaijan’s stance on Nagorno Karabakh. He stated that his country would continue to stand by Pakistan on Kashmir issue at all international fora.
Separately, Prime Minister Imran Khan, while expressing satisfaction at the excellent quality of bilateral political relations between Pakistan and Azerbaijan, emphasised the importance of enhancing bilateral trade and energy cooperation.
During the meeting, views were exchanged on matters relating to bilateral relations, and regional and international issues.
The prime minister extended sincere felicitations on Azerbaijan’s recent success in liberation of its occupied territories.
On Azerbaijan’s call for support in reconstruction and development of liberated territories, he assured of all possible assistance from Pakistan.
Foreign Minister Bayramov conveyed cordial greetings of President Ilhan Aliyev to PM Imran.
He also expressed gratitude for Pakistan’s support on Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and reaffirmed Azerbaijan’s consistent support and solidarity on the Jammu and Kashmir dispute.
The Azerbaijani foreign minister also affirmed his country’s desire to upgrade bilateral cooperation in all fields.
Earlier, bilateral ties were discussed in “extensive talks” between Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi and his visiting Azeri counterpart Bayramov.
The two sides reviewed the entire gamut of Pakistan-Azerbaijan relations and exchanged views on regional and international issues, a Foreign Office (FO) press release said.
FM Qureshi underlined the exceptional quality of Pakistan-Azerbaijan political ties and underscored the importance of building a stronger economic relationship.
The two sides reaffirmed the resolve to comprehensively upgrade cooperation in the political, security, trade and economic, energy, connectivity, education and cultural arenas.
FM Qureshi congratulated his counterpart on Azerbaijan’s historic victory in the recent conflict on Nagorno-Karabakh and expressed support for rehabilitation and reconstruction activities in the newly liberated territories.
Both sides reviewed with satisfaction the level of cooperation in the international fora, especially at the United Nations, OIC, ECO and NAM, and reiterated the determination to continue mutual collaboration and support on their respective core issues in the global and regional forums.
Qureshi expressed appreciation for Azerbaijan’s steadfast support to the just and legitimate cause of the Kashmiri people.
As member of the OIC Contact Group on Jammu and Kashmir, Azerbaijan has consistently advocated the principled and legitimate right of the people of Indian Occupied Kashmir (IOK) to self-determination in accordance with the relevant United Nations Security Council resolutions, he added.
He underscored the importance of an inclusive and broad-based political solution of the conflict in Afghanistan and highlighted Pakistan’s positive contribution to the Afghan peace process.
Expressing satisfaction at the successful conclusion of 2nd Trilateral Meeting of Pakistan-Turkey and Azerbaijan, it was underlined that trilateral cooperation may be enhanced through specific projects.
At the conclusion of delegation-level talks, the two foreign ministers signed an MoU of cooperation in the field of natural emergencies/disasters.
The two foreign ministers agreed to remain in close contact and maintain high-level exchanges to further deepen and strengthen bilateral cooperation in all fields.
