Russia to help Pakistan meet energy, security, vaccine needs

Ag APP

ISLAMABAD/RAWALPINDI: Russia on Wednesday assured Pakistan of its full cooperation in diverse areas, particularly to meet the country’s requirements in energy, security equipment and the supply of coronavirus vaccines.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov was on a two-day official trip to Pakistan, where he met the Pakistani civilian and military leadership. This was the first visit of a Russian foreign minister in nine years.

Lavrov, in a joint press conference with his Pakistani counterpart Shah Mehmood Qureshi at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said substantive talks were held on the early construction of the flagship North-South Gas Pipeline project between Karachi and Lahore.

To further support Pakistan’s energy-deficit, Lavrov said his country had offered the delivery of Russian liquefied natural gas (LNG) through Russian companies Gazprom and Novatek and was awaiting response from the partners in Pakistan.

The Russian foreign minister expressed satisfaction over the growth of bilateral trade by 46 per cent and expressed readiness to “further strengthen economic relations”. He mentioned that substantive growth of bilateral trade was mainly due to trade of over 200 million tonnes of wheat to Pakistan and added: “We want to make this increase sustainable and diversify our trade”.

He said the Pak-Russia Intergovernmental Commission (IGC), to meet in Moscow this year, would be a key step in defining the sphere of cooperation in multiple areas.

On nuclear energy, he said Russia’s Rosatom and Pakistan’s Nuclear Energy Commission were in touch for cooperation for the use of technology for medicine and industry.

Regarding security cooperation, Lavrov said Russia was ready to “strengthen Pakistan’s anti-terrorist capacity including supply of special equipment”. “This serves in the interest of all states of the region,” he said, adding an agreement was reached on conducting more joint military exercises, including the Arabian Monsoon maritime drill.

Since Pakistan’s accession to Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) three years ago, he said, the country was actively pursuing its anti-terrorist strategy.

Lavrov expressed concern over the deteriorating security situation in Afghanistan and the rise of terrorist activities in the north and east of the country. He mentioned that Russia and Pakistan agreed to “further facilitate the agreement among Afghan parties through inclusive political dialogue”.

On ties between Pakistan and India, the Russian foreign minister welcomed the efforts leading towards the normalisation of relations between the two countries. In the backdrop of tension in Middle East, he said: “Russia stands to facilitate a direct dialogue between Israel and Palestine”.

When he spoke, Qureshi said Pakistan was keen to “build a strong multi-dimensional relationship” with Russia, considering it a “priority with a new significant approach”. Welcoming the visit of a Russian foreign minister “in almost a decade”, he said Pakistan regarded Russia an as “important factor” in the stability of region.

Qureshi said the talks focused on strengthening cooperation in trade, energy, security and cooperation at United Nations and said: “In our cooperation, the sky is the limit.” He said Pakistan, in view of its energy needs, could greatly benefit from Russia.

Qureshi said the two countries had the scope to cooperate within the framework of a Pak-Russia security dialogue and thanked the Russian foreign minister for acknowledging Pakistan’s role in anti-terrorism.

He mentioned briefing his Russian counterpart the situation at Pakistan’s border with India. He expressed confidence that the visit of Russian foreign minister would “deepen friendship and high-level contacts” between the two countries.

In response to a question, Qureshi said Pakistan had registered the Russian Covid-19 vaccine Sputnik V in the country which was yielding good results. He said Pakistan was looking forward to Russian collaboration for the local production of the vaccine. The Russian foreign minister said his government had provided 50,000 doses to Pakistan and intended to supply 150,000 more doses.

Afterwards, Lavrov called on Prime Minister Imran Khan, who reaffirmed Pakistan’s resolve to expeditiously conclude the requisite legal process for the Pakistan Stream (North-South) Gas Pipeline project and commence the work as early as possible.

Pakistan-Russia bilateral relations and issues of regional and global importance were discussed in the meeting. The Prime Minister fondly recalled his interaction with President Vladimir Putin during SCO Summit in Bishkek in 2019, where he had underscored his desire to take the bilateral relationship to a new level.

He reiterated the importance of Pakistan attached to its relations with Russia as a key foreign policy priority. Enhanced bilateral cooperation in the fields of energy, industrial modernisation, railways and aviation was discussed. It was agreed that the IGC would closely pursue specific proposals and projects in that context.

In the regional context, the Prime Minister stressed the importance of a negotiated political settlement of the conflict in Afghanistan. Pakistan appreciated Russia’s efforts in promoting the Afghan peace process.

With reference to the situation in Indian illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK), the Prime Minister shared Pakistan’s perspective on issues of peace and security in South Asia, including the need for peaceful resolution of the Jammu and Kashmir dispute.

Views were also exchanged on the situation in West Asia, the Gulf, the Middle East, and the Asia-Pacific region. The Prime Minister reiterated his invitation to President Putin to visit Pakistan at his earliest convenience.

Later in the day, the Russian foreign minister called on Chief of Army Staff Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa. During the meeting, matters of mutual interest, including enhanced defence and security cooperation, regional security, particularly Afghan peace process were discussed, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said.

The visiting dignitary acknowledged Pakistan’s achievements in war against terrorism and contributions for regional peace and stability especially Pakistan’s sincere efforts in the Afghan peace process. He expressed that Pak-Russia relations are on a positive trajectory and will continue to develop in multiple domains.

Gen Bajwa said that Pakistan values its relations with Russia and reciprocates the desire for enhanced bilateral military cooperation. Pakistan welcomes all initiatives which can bring peace and stability in Afghanistan as the whole region will benefit from it, the Army chief emphasised. “We have no hostile designs towards any country and will keep on working towards a cooperative regional framework based on sovereign equality and mutual progress,” Gen Bajwa concluded.