Pakistan, Uzbekistan vow to boost trade, investment

Tashkent : Pakistan and Uzbekistan, noting the need of enhanced connectivity, have agreed on expanding cooperation to boost trade and investment besides closer interaction in security and counter terrorism.

A Joint Declaration inked between Uzbekistan and Pakistan at the end of two-day official visit of Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif at the invitation of President of Uzbekistan Islam Karimov, said the two sides also agreed on a “sustained dialogue” to expand their bilateral ties.

The declaration said the two leaders had “friendly, substantive and constructive exchange of views” during their meeting and reached common understanding on a wide range of issues to further deepen Uzbekistan-Pakistan relations in various fields, and international and regional issues of mutual interest.

Keeping in view the importance of “adequate and timely response” to challenges and threats to national and regional security, the two countries agreed on coordination between their law enforcement and security agencies, under the framework of Intergovernmental Agreement, on cooperation in fight against international terrorism, inked on March 6, 2005.

The two countries also agreed to expand cooperation in transportation and transit traffic and stressed joint actions to promote regional projects for developing efficient and secure

transport and transit corridors to provide shortest access to sea routes and world trade markets.

They agreed to hold regular meeting of Joint Commission on Trade, Economic, Scientific and Technical cooperation, as it was an important mechanism for coordination and development of bilateral economic relations and identifying new areas.

The Uzbek leadership said cooperation with Pakistan was one of the important pillars of its foreign policy on cooperation with South Asian countries, while Pakistan noted that relations with Uzbekistan were a key element of Islamabad’s engagement with Central Asian countries.

They agreed to continue bilateral political dialogue and consultations through official visits at to enhance mutual understanding on bilateral, regional and international issues.

To boost bilateral trade, it was agreed to take joint measures to increase and diversify range and quantum of mutual trade. The  need for developing long-term and mutually beneficial partnership between the business entities through joint business activities and

active participation of the companies and enterprises in exhibitions and fairs in Uzbekistan and Pakistan was also stressed.

Pakistan and Uzbekistan reaffirmed interest in expanding and further strengthening long-term, mutually beneficial bilateral cooperation through sustained dialogue and engagement at all levels.

The two sides noted with satisfaction continued cooperation in fields of science and technology, education, information and telecommunications technologies, and called for its further expansion and deepening.

Prime Minister Sharif in his talks with the Uzbek leadership agreed to continue dialogue and endorsed to intensify bilateral contacts and practical cooperation in all fields of mutual interest.

The two sides also stressed importance of further development of inter-parliamentary relations, enhancement of contacts and cooperation between the Oliy Majlis of Uzbekistan and the Parliament of Pakistan, to strengthen people to people contacts. The two sides

agreed on enhanced cooperation between the foreign ministries of the two countries.