ISLAMABAD, Pakistan: Pakistan and Maldives have signed four memorandums of understanding (MoUs) to strengthen mechanism to stop illicit drug trafficking and enhance cooperation in the fields of education, health and sports.
The signing of MoUs followed a meeting between Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and Maldivian President Abdullah Yamin Abdul Gayoom in Islamabad on Thursday.
Later addressing a joint news conference after holding talks, the two leaders expressed their resolve to further expand Pakistan-Maldives cooperation and deepen their ties in diverse fields.
The two leaders expressed the confidence that the visit of the Maldivian president to Pakistan will help lead to open new avenues of bilateral cooperation.
The prime minister said that there is commonality of view among the two countries on major international and regional issue and our friendship is based on mutual respect and understanding for the benefit of our peoples.
Nawaz Sharif said that we both the sides reviewed whole aspect of bilateral ties and focused expanding cooperation in the fields of defence and tourism. He said that both the sides also focused on regular exchange of delegations and visits on higher level besides promoting people to people contacts.
“Pakistan is a peace loving country and intends to have good and cordial relations with all its neighbors,” Nawaz said.
The prime minister hoped that the MoUs signed today will help further increasing our cooperation.
In his remarks, the Maldivian president said that Pakistan has always proved as reliable friend of his country and extended all possible assistance to deal with tsunami.
The Maldivian president said that bilateral relations in defence, infrastructure and human resource have been expanded and hoped that mutual cooperation in other fields will also be increased in result of his visit. He termed his visit as opening of new era of cooperation between the two countries.
Gayoom also extended invitation to visit Maldives and participate in independence day celebrations.
