ISLAMABAD, Pakistan: Pakistan and Belarus have signed a series of agreements and Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) for cooperation in various areas including science & technology, investment, agriculture, industries and defense production, education, media, culture and law & justice.
The signing ceremony was held in Islamabad on Friday in the presence of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and the visiting President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko.
The sources said that one of the MoUs envisages the establishment of consultation mechanism between the foreign ministries of the two countries while another agreement envisages the establishment of joint business council.
Later, the prime minister also hosted a luncheon in honor of the Belarus president and members of his delegation.
Earlier, the Belarusian president held a meeting with the prime minister in Islamabad during which they agreed to enhance bilateral cooperation in different fields particularly economy and trade.
The two sides also agreed to enhance inter parliamentary relations and strengthen people to people contacts in all spheres.
“Belarus is an important country and Pakistan attaches high importance to its bilateral relations with it,” Nawaz Sharif said later in a joint press stakeout.
The prime minister described his talks with the Belarus president as very productive and said that they discussed relations in all fields including trade, industry, agriculture, investment, culture, education and people to people to contacts.
“We have agreed to several new initiatives to bolster our bilateral relations,” he said.
Nawaz Sharif said that we also discussed regional and international issues and agreed to work together for shared objective of peace and prosperity. He said that the two countries agreed to continue cooperation at international organizations.
In his remarks, the President of Belarus invited Pakistani businessmen and investors to visit Belarus to establish their businesses. He said that the Pakistani investors will be extended all possible facilities. He said that delegation of specialists from Pakistan should visit Belarus to see firsthand the potential of areas of common interests.
The Belarus president said that his country is interested in joint ventures in different areas with Pakistani side for bringing the two countries closer together. He said that Belarus seeks cooperation from Pakistan in the industrial and textile sector as Pakistan has the required raw textile raw material.
Moreover, he also invited Nawaz Sharif to visit Belarus and expressed the confidence that the visit will help exploit true potential of cooperation between the two countries.
