Moscow - Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and his Pakistani counterpart Khawaja Muhammad Asif on Tuesday agreed to strengthen bilateral cooperation in counterterrorism, economic, trade and other fields.
The ministers exchanged messages on May 1 marking the 70th anniversary of the establishment of Russia-Pakistan diplomatic relations, the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement issued in Moscow.
Both Lavrov and Asif expressed satisfaction about the development of bilateral relations and their two countries' constructive interaction concerning global affairs within the frameworks of the United Nations and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, it said.
70TH ANNIVERSARY OF RELATIONS MARKED
Staff Reporter from Islamabad adds: The 70th anniversary of the establishment of the diplomatic relations between Pakistan and Russia was marked on Tuesday.
“May 1, 2018 marks the seventieth anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Pakistan and the Russian Federation. In the backdrop of multiple recent developments that have seen Pakistan-Russia relations touch historic new heights, the event is being celebrated in both countries with great fervour and zeal,” said a foreign ministry statement.
It said: “Pakistan-Russia friendship is fast evolving into a mature partnership. Relations between the two countries are today characterized by mutual trust, commonality of interests, and convergence of views on important regional and global issues. Both countries have similar stakes in durable peace and stability in their common neighbourhood, and harbour shared aspirations for regional development and prosperity.”
It said, “the upward trajectory was being maintained through sustained high-level interaction through strong institutional mechanisms and cementing cooperation in such diverse fields as trade and commerce, banking and finance, agriculture and industry, defence and security, education and technology, and energy and infrastructure development.”
The two countries, it said, have also “collaborated closely at international forums including the United Nations. Russia has been a strong supporter of Pakistan's membership of SCO which affords another useful platform for close cooperation on matters of common concern.”
The statement said that Pakistan viewed Russia as an important global power, a significant development partner, and a salient contributor to regional stability. “We believe that long-term multidimensional strategic partnership between the two countries will be mutually beneficial for the people of Pakistan and the Russian Federation and would contribute towards regional peace and stability,” it said.