ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif Friday said Pakistan was an investor friendly country providing excellent environment to the foreign investors.
Addressing a joint stake out along with the President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko at the conclusion of delegation level talks and inking of 15 agreements, he said there was wide scope to enhance cooperation between Pakistan and Belarus.
He said the signing of many important Agreements and MoUs would provide a structured framework for future collaboration and added he looked forward to several joint ventures in various areas.
Nawaz Sharif said the Pakistan-Belarus Business Forum would benefit the entrepreneurs of both the countries.
The Prime Minister said Belarus was an important country and Pakistan attaches high importance to its bilateral relations.
“We greatly value the visit by the President and his high powered delegation,” the Prime Minister said.
The Prime Minister termed the talks “very productive” and said it focussed on bilateral relations in all fields, particularly on trade, industry, agriculture, investment, culture, education and people-to-people contacts.
He said the two sides agreed on several new initiatives, besides intensifying inter-parliamentary relations and willingness to strengthen cooperation in the fight against terrorism, extremism, narcotics, and human trafficking.
Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif said the two sides discussed regional and global issues and it was agreed to develop inter-regional relations to work for shared objective of peace and prosperity.
“We also agreed to continue our cooperation at international organizations and work for the UN Reform process in a manner that makes the world body more democratic, efficient and effective,”
Sharif said.
The President of Belarus pointed that important agreements have been inked between the two countries that would go a long way to bring the two countries closer in future.
He invited delegations from different sectors in Pakistan to visit Belarus before the expected visit of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to Belarus in August this year, to help identify areas of common interest.
He hoped that the Business Council would also play its role and help identify the areas of common interest so as to make Prime Minister’s visit to Belarus more productive.
President Lukashenko noted that Pakistan was an important country and said Belarus would provide the most beautiful location to Pakistan for its embassy in Minsk.
He said there was also an understanding that several Pakistani groups would visit Belarus soon to make Prime Minister’s visit more useful. He said the large delegation accompanying him, includes state and private business houses and industrial units who can interact with Pakistani counterparts to explore new areas of cooperation.
He invited Pakistani entrepreneurs to invest in different areas in Belarus. He said joint ventures in textiles and garments can be established that can be exported to the EU countries on competitive rates.
The President of Belarus thanked the Prime Minister for warm reception to him and his delegation by the government of Pakistan.
Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif also thanked President Lukashenko for his invitation to visit Belarus. “I am delighted to accept the warm invitation and look forward to an early visit,” the Prime Minister said.
The President of Belarus is leading a large delegation that includes Deputy Prime Minister Semashko Vladimir, Minister for Foreign Affairs Makei Vladimir, Assistant to the President of Belarus Bryliov Valery, Head of National Academy of Science Gusakov Vladimir, Minister of Industry Vovk Vitaly, Minister of Agriculture Zayats Leonid, Head of the State Military Industrial Committee Gurulev Sergei.
The Pakistan side was represented by Minister for Commerce Engr. Khurram Dastgir Khan,Minister for Defence Production Rana Tanveer Hussain, Minister for Finance Muhammad Ishaq Dar, Minister for Information Pervaiz Rashid, Advisor to PM on National Security Sartaj Aziz and SAPM on Foreign Affairs Tariq Fatemi.
