ISLAMABAD  - Pakistan and Germany on Monday held their first multi-sectoral consultations within the framework of strategic dialogue in Berlin.
The Pakistan side was led by Foreign Secretary Jalil Abbas Jilani, and the German side by Dr Emily Haber, State Secretary for Foreign Affairs. Pakistan Ambassador to Germany, Abdul Basit, also participated in the consultations.
The two sides discussed in detail the state of bilateral relations, reaffirming their mutual commitment to further deepening and diversifying the bilateral relationship to their mutual benefit. Foreign Secretary Jilani underlined the need for maintaining high-level contacts with the view to sustaining the present momentum in bilateral cooperation.
The two sides agreed to explore possibilities for high-level bilateral visits during 2013 and beyond. The two sides also exchanged views on expanding trade and investment relations.
It was noted that enormous opportunities existed between the two countries and that the corporate sector in both countries should be encouraged to utilize public-private partnership and private-private partnership frameworks.
As regards regional issues, Foreign Secretary Jilani apprised Dr Haber of the efforts Pakistan had been making to help promote an Afghan-led reconciliation process.
He said Pakistan would greatly benefit from a stable and peaceful Afghanistan. Similarly, Pakistan was also engaged with India in a dialogue process to resolve the long-standing bilateral disputes. He stressed that Pakistan was working towards promoting regional peace and prosperity.
During his stay in Berlin, the Foreign Secretary also met Dr Christoph Heusgen, Foreign and Security Policy Advisor to Chancellor Angela Merkel, Ms Anne Ruth Herkes, State Secretary for Economic Affairs and Markus Lning, Germany’s Commissioner for Human Rights.
The Roadmap for Germany-Pakistan Strategic Dialogue was signed by Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar and Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle during the former’s official visit to Berlin in September 2012.
The second round of consultations will be held in Islamabad next year on a mutually convenient date.