-Both sides agree to accelerate Afghan peace process
-Uzbek FM meets PM, invites to Tashkent moot
-FM, Uzbek counterpart firm on boosting high-level interaction to strengthen bilateral ties
-Pakistan agrees to facilitate Uzbekistan’s access to Gwadar, Karachi ports
RAWALPINDI: Uzbekistan’s Foreign Minister Abdulaziz Kamilov on Wednesday called on Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa and discussed the Afghan peace process, Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR) said.
According to the ISPR, the meeting between the two was also attended by Director General Inter Services Intelligence (ISI) Lieutenant General Faiz Hamid.
“Matters of mutual interest, overall regional situation including Afghan Peace Process and bilateral cooperation in various fields were discussed,” the army’s media wing said regarding the meeting.
It said that COAS Qamar Javed Bajwa and the Uzbek foreign minister reiterated the desire to further enhance bilateral relations including efforts for peace and security in the region.
Uzbekistan’s Foreign Minister appreciated Pakistan’s positive role for regional peace and stability, especially Afghan Peace Process and pledged to keep working for better relations between two brotherly countries, the ISPR said.
Earlier in the day, Foreign Minister of Uzbekistan Dr. Abdulaziz Kamilov called on Prime Minister Imran Khan in Islamabad. Foreign Minister Kamilov conveyed cordial greetings of President Shavkat Mirziyoye and reiterated Uzbekistan’s commitment to expanding bilateral cooperation with Pakistan in diverse fields. Prime Minister Khan fondly recalled his interactions with President Mirziyoyev in Beijing and Bishkek and reiterated his invitation to the Uzbek president to visit Pakistan at the earliest convenience. Underlining the historic and civilizational links between the two countries, he said that Pakistan highly valued its close fraternal ties with Uzbekistan and wished to deepen bilateral cooperation in all areas.
The prime minister particularly emphasised that enhanced trade and regional connectivity were the cornerstones of economic growth and development. He underscored Pakistan’s resolve to forge closer ties with Central Asia, covering trade, investments, energy, and people-to-people exchanges. He expressed appreciation for the proposed Trans-Afghan railway project between Pakistan, Uzbekistan and Afghanistan. He underscored Pakistan’s commitment to support all efforts for the earliest realization of this important connectivity project.
PM Khan highlighted that Pakistan offered the shortest route to international seas to all Central Asian Republics through Karachi and Gwadar ports and could be the gateway to landlocked Central Asia. He reaffirmed the resolve to facilitate Uzbekistan’s access to Pakistani ports. Foreign Minister Dr. Kamilov handed over a letter from President Mirziyoyev addressed to Prime Minister Imran Khan, inviting him to participate in a Central Asia-South Asia Connectivity Conference in Tashkent in July 2021. The PM thanked for the invitation and mentioned that he was looking forward to visiting Uzbekistan.
Meanwhile, Foreign Minister Makhdoom Shah Mahmood Qureshi and his Uzbekistan counterpart Dr Abdulaziz Kamilov on Wednesday expressed their firm resolve to boost high-level interactions for giving impetus to the existing positive momentum in bilateral relations. This resolve was expressed during the delegation-level talks led by Foreign Minister Qureshi and his Uzbek counterpart here. Views were exchanged on enhancement of economic cooperation, mutual support in international fora, regional connectivity and tourism promotion, a press release issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs here said. Outlining the vision of “Naya Pakistan” centered around economic security, the foreign minister underlined the importance of shifting focus from geo-politics to geo-economics, to advance the goals of national economic development.
It was agreed to maximally utilize the existing institutional mechanisms by regularly convening sessions of Bilateral Political Consultations and Joint Ministerial Commission. The two foreign ministers expressed satisfaction on the progress achieved in advancing rail connectivity between the two countries, and agreed on early completion of the trans-Afghan railway project. Foreign Minister Qureshi emphasized the importance of direct air connectivity to further trade and tourism. He also stressed facilitation of visas for businessmen and tourists. He underlined the need to further strengthen the existing parliamentary cooperation between the two countries through exchange of visits.
He welcomed the proposed “Re-connect Silk Route Conference” scheduled for July 2021. The event would help showcase Pakistani exports and products in Central Asia. Qureshi also underscored the importance of closer agricultural cooperation between the two countries, particularly in the cotton seed sector. He expressed satisfaction at the level of cooperation between the two countries in the multilateral organizations such as the United Nations, Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, Economic Cooperation Organisation and Shanghai Cooperation Organisation.
The foreign minister highlighted Pakistan’s positive role for the facilitation of Intra-Afghan Negotiations. He reiterated Pakistan’s support to Afghan-owned and Afghan-led peace and reconciliation process culminating in an inclusive and broad-based political solution.
Establishment of lasting peace and stability in Afghanistan would contribute to progress on various connectivity initiatives leading to regional prosperity, he added. Qureshi also underlined the grave and systemic human rights violations in the Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir by the Indian security forces. Foreign Minister Kamilov extended an invitation to Foreign Minister Qureshi to participate in the Central Asia- South Asia Connectivity Conference to be held in Tashkent in July 2021.
