MOSCOW: Prime Minister Imran Khan on Thursday held a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin to discuss wide-ranging matters.
The prime minister and president’s meeting lasted for more than three hours. The two leaders reviewed the entire array of bilateral relations including economic and energy cooperation, particularly Pakistan stream gas pipeline. The regional situation including the developing scenario of Ukraine also came under discussion. They also discussed trade, Afghanistan, Islamophobia, South Asian issues, among other ‘important matters’, the Russian foreign ministry said in a statement.
Recalling the telephonic conversations during the recent months between the two leaders, the PM expressed confidence that the positive trajectory of bilateral relations would continue to move forward in future, said a press release, issued after the meeting. He added that the trust and cordiality marking the relationship would translate into further deepening and broadening of mutual cooperation in diverse fields. The PM reaffirmed the importance of Pakistan-stream gas pipeline as a flagship economic project between Pakistan and Russia and also discussed cooperation on prospective energy-related projects. He underscored Pakistan’s commitment to forge a long-term, multidimensional relationship with Russia.
In the regional context, the PM underlined the urgency of addressing the humanitarian crisis and preventing potential economic meltdown in Afghanistan. He reiterated that Pakistan would continue to work with the international community for a stable, peaceful and connected Afghanistan. In this regard, he underscored the ongoing cooperation and coordination between Pakistan and Russia at various international and regional fora, including the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO).
On the situation in South Asia, the premier highlighted the serious human rights situation in the Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) and underscored the imperative of peaceful resolution of the dispute. The PM also highlighted the developments detrimental to regional peace and stability and stressed the need for measures that would help keep the regional balance.
PM Imran Khan regretted the latest situation between Russia and Ukraine and said that Pakistan had hoped diplomacy could avert a military conflict. He stressed that conflict was not in anyone’s interest, and that the developing countries were always hit the hardest economically in case of conflict. He underlined Pakistan’s belief that disputes should be resolved through dialogue and diplomacy.
Expressing concerns on rising trends of extremism and Islamophobia in the world, the PM emphasised the need for interfaith harmony and coexistence. Appreciating President Putin’s understanding of the respect and sensitivities that the Muslims attach to the Holy Prophet (PBUH), he said that interfaith harmony and respect for all religions was imperative for peace and harmony within and among societies.
Meanwhile, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak along with his delegation met with Prime Minister Imran Khan and Pakistan-Russia economic relations, with a special focus on cooperation in the field of energy, were discussed.
Highlighting the government’s reforms undertaken in different sectors with the aim of improving business environment, the prime minister expressed confidence that Russian companies and businesses would benefit from Pakistan’s improved business environment and invest in different sectors of Pakistan’s economy.
Expressing satisfaction on current level of cooperation in the fields of energy, trade, investment, railways etc, both sides agreed that Inter-Governmental Commission (IGC) was the pivotal platform to further advance specific projects.
Following the meeting, the prime minister had an interactive session with notable businessmen of Pakistan and Russia over the dinner. The prime minister stated that Pakistan as a market of more than 220 million people provided opportunity for trade and investment. The prime minister stated that forthcoming Investment Conference to be held in March in Pakistan would be an opportunity for metallurgical, energy, construction and oil and gas companies to explore the immense potential in Pakistan.
When PM Imran Khan arrived at Kremlin - the executive headquarters of the Russian Federation, he was warmly received by President Putin. This is the first visit by a Pakistani prime minister to Russia after a gap of 23 years and is being termed a historic step to renew relations between the two countries.
Separately, the premier also held a consultative meeting with members of his delegation on the Ukraine situation. PM Imran Khan arrived in Moscow on a two-day official visit on Wednesday, where he was received at the airport by Russia's deputy foreign minister and presented with a guard of honour.
PM Imran Khan also had to discuss economic cooperation between the two countries, hours after a number of Western nations hit Russia with new sanctions for its military deployment into parts of eastern Ukraine. The premier was set to push for the construction of a long-delayed, multi-billion-dollar gas pipeline to be built in collaboration with Russian companies, an official told Reuters.
The 1,100km-long pipeline, also known as the North-South gas pipeline, was initially agreed to in 2015 and was to be financed by both Moscow and Islamabad, using a Russian company to construct it.
The prime minister is accompanied by a delegation comprising federal ministers Shah Mehmood Qureshi, Chaudhry Fawad Hussain, Asad Umar and Hammad Azhar, Commerce Advisor Abdur Razak Dawood, National Security Advisor Moeed Yusuf and Member of the National Assembly Amir Mahmood Kiyani.
Also, Prime Minister Imran Khan Thursday laid a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, a war memorial dedicated to the Soviet troops fallen during World War II. The prime minister visited the memorial at the Kremlin Wall and paid his respects to the soldiers. The national anthems of Pakistan and Russia were played, as the prime minister observed a moment of silence in respect for the fallen troops.