ANKARA: Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu, who arrived here Monday night on a one-day official visit to Pakistan, said the excellent bilateral relations were being transformed into economic partnership for the mutual benefit of both countries. “The excellent bilateral relations are already being transformed into a vibrant economic partnership as both countries want to build strong and mutually advantageous relations,” he told APP in a wide-ranging exclusive interview.
Mevlut Cavusoglu said bilateral relations and regional developments will be on the agenda during his visit to the federal capital. Turkey and Pakistan enjoy deep-rooted and time-tested relations of brotherhood, he added. “We are not geographically neighbors, but the affinity between Turkey and Pakistan is unique, since the close ties between our countries derive its strength from the brotherly relations between our peoples.” To a question he said the potential for economic cooperation and integration between Turkey and Pakistan “has not yet been fully tapped” despite similar economic structures and efforts of entrepreneurs of the two countries.
Cavusoglu said a major reason for this was weak logistics connections. “I believe that strengthening logistics connectivity between the two countries and further to Eurasia will bring a strong impetus to the integration between the two countries. We are working on increasing our transport connectivity by all means. Flights have been increased and need to be increased even further.” He said that container train service on the Istanbul-Islamabad corridor would provide “a fast, reliable and low-cost logistics alternative that has a potential to boost trade relations.”
BALO (Great Anatolia Logistics Organization) is undertaking feasibility studies for strengthening coordination and initiating further investments for this train service. ‘Road Transport Joint Commission’ between the two countries will hold its second meeting in Islamabad this month. In this regard, Pakistan’s adherence to International TIR (Transports Internationaux Routiers) system in 2015 is an important step for the regulation of road transport.
