Boosting trade: Russian delegation reaches Islamabad

Ministerial team to study possibility of improved cooperation between Moscow and Islamabad.

ISLAMABAD:

The largest-ever ministerial delegation from Russia flew into Pakistan on Sunday to study prospects of improving trade ties between the two countries ahead of a trip by President Vladimir Putin.

The warming up between the former bitter rivals of the Cold War-era indicates new alignments in the world’s most strategic region.

The 30-member Russian delegation will attend a meeting of the joint inter-governmental commission, which is scheduled to open on Monday morning.

In recent years, Pakistan and Russia have decided to bury their Cold War differences and open a new chapter in their frosty relationship. Accordingly, the two countries have planned high-level exchanges.

President Vladimir Putin will visit Pakistan this October at the invitation of his Pakistani counterpart Asif Ali Zardari. And ahead of his trip, Chief of Army Staff Gen Ashfaq Parvez Kayani is scheduled to visit Moscow this month.

About the visit of Russia’s ministerial delegation and Gen Kayani’s planned trip, an official from the Foreign Office told The Express Tribune that these were part of preparations for President Putin’s tour.

In its meetings with Pakistani officials, the Russian delegation will study the possibility of improving cooperation between the two countries in the fields of energy, trade, defence and technology.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 10^th, 2012.