Alvi for strong ties with Baku

-Pakistan extends cooperation to Azerbaijan on reconstruction of conflict-hit Nagorno-Karabakh
-Azerbaijani Ambassador meets President, Foreign Minister

By Asghar Ali Mubarak

ISLAMABAD: President Dr Arif Alvi on Thursday said Pakistan and Azerbaijan could further enhance bilateral and economic cooperation by taking concrete measures including exchange of trade delegations.
Talking to the outgoing Ambassador of Azerbaijan Ali Alizada who paid a farewell call on him here at the Aiwan-e-Sadr, the President said Pakistan highly valued its ties with Azerbaijan which are based on strong historic, cultural and religious bonds.
The President said the two countries enjoyed excellent cooperation at various international fora which needed to be further expanded in the areas of trade, economy and culture for the mutual benefit of the two sides.
He congratulated the Ambassador on the liberation of Nagorno-Karabakh from Armenia.
The President also appreciated Azerbaijan’s support to Prime Minister Imran Khan’s Global Initiative on Debt Relief and the charity work of Heydar Aliyev Foundation in Pakistan, under the patronage of First Lady of Azerbaijan.
Ali Alizada emphasized on the need to increase cooperation in the areas of trade, tourism and promote people-to-people contacts so as to bring the two brotherly countries further closer.
The President lauded the contribution of the outgoing Ambassador towards cementing bilateral relations.
Meanwhile, Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi on Thursday expressed Pakistan’s support to Azerbaijan on the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and reaffirmed cooperation in reconstruction and rehabilitation of the affected areas.
The Foreign Minister expressed these views in a meeting with Ambassador of Azerbaijan Ali Alizada, who paid a farewell call on him, here at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The Foreign Minister expressed satisfaction on the status of existing ties between the two countries and appreciated Ambassador Alizada’s contributions in further strengthening them.