Putin’s visit to Pakistan not yet finalised, says Russian envoy

He is expected to arrive early next year for starting work on $2b pipeline

LAHORE:

Russian Ambassador Alexey Y Dedov has said that he is still unsure about the visit of Russian President Vladimir Putin to Pakistan early next year for inaugurating work on the North-South pipeline that will run and carry liquefied natural gas (LNG) from Lahore to Karachi.

“It is not yet clear if President Putin’s visit is final as we will have to take a number of steps before the high-profile trip,” he said while talking to media at the Punjab Board of Investment and Trade (PBIT) on Wednesday.



He recalled that Russia had agreed to finance the $2 billion North-South gas pipeline, which would open more trade avenues between the two countries.

The ambassador arrived at the investment board in order to discuss the possibilities of bilateral trade. A delegation that accompanied him expressed keen interest in importing citrus fruits from Pakistan, especially Kinnows.

They also discussed the potential of halal food trade between Punjab and the Russian republic of Tatarstan.

The ambassador underscored the need for frequent exchange of trade delegations in a bid to give a push to bilateral relationship. He proposed organising an annual forum in Russia for attracting investments in the energy sector.

Dedov pointed out that besides energy there was a host of other sectors in Pakistan that should be explored.

“Both countries need to know in which sectors they can help each other. We are interested in agriculture and livestock sectors of Pakistan, especially halal meat, as Russia has a significant Muslim population,” he added. The Russian delegation asked PBIT officials to share their potential projects and interact with prospective investors in Russia.

PBIT Chairman Abdul Basit suggested that Russia could also assess the possibility of collaboration with Pakistan in marble and granite mining. Oil and gas was another area where Russia’s experience and technology could help Pakistan.



He called the Russian ambassador’s visit very encouraging as it could open new avenues of partnership and joint ventures between Punjab and Russia.

The possibility of establishing a free trade zone between Russia, Pakistan and other trade partners was also discussed during the deliberations.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 17^th, 2015.

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