Alvi reaffirms Pak support for TAPI pipeline

President meets Turkmen counterparty on sidelines of ECO summit

ISLAMABAD:

President Dr Arif Alvi held a meeting with Turkmenistan President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov on Saturday on the sidelines of the Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) summit and discussed with him bilateral ties and the current regional situation.

Alvi arrived in the Turkmenistan capital on a two-day visit to attend the 15th ECO summit, being held in Ashgabat on Sunday (today). During his stay in Ashgabat, President Alvi will address the plenary session of the summit.

During the meeting with President Berdimuhamedov, Alvi underlined the need for taking concrete measures to enhance bilateral trade and economic relations through ensuring greater connectivity, said a statement issued by the Media Wing of the President’s Secretariat.

He underscored that road, rail and air linkages were essential to promote trade, tourism and people-to-people contacts. He reaffirmed Pakistan’s continued support to timely completion of the Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India (TAPI) gas pipeline project.

The two leaders also exchanged views on regional peace and security, in particular worsening economic and humanitarian situation in Afghanistan. Alvi stressed the importance of practical engagement with Afghanistan to coordinate provision of urgent food, medicines and shelter items.

He underlined the immediate need of financial assistance to Afghanistan to avert impending economic collapse. The president also stressed the importance of unfreezing Afghanistan’s frozen financial assets in this regard.

Alvi congratulated his Turkmen counterpart on 30th anniversary of Turkmenistan’s independence and 25th anniversary of the country’s policy of “Permanent Neutrality”.

Recalling their telephonic conversation held in September 2020, the two leaders took stock of existing level of relations and emphasised on enhancing bilateral interactions and contacts in all areas of mutual interest.

President Alvi underlined the need for taking concrete measures to enhance bilateral trade and economic relations through ensuring greater connectivity.

The two leaders agreed to remain in touch on all issues of common interest. The president also extended invitation to President Berdimuhamedov to visit Pakistan at the earliest convenience.

The 15th ECO summit will be chaired by President Berdimuhamedov. The theme of the summit is “Into the Future Together.” The summit meeting will review activities of the organisation and adopt “Ashgabat Consensus for Action” as the outcome document.

The ECO is a regional economic trade and development organisation established in 1985. Pakistan, Iran and Turkey are its founding members. The three countries were earlier part of the Regional Cooperation for Development (RCD), since 1964.

In 1992, ECO expanded to include Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan. Afghanistan also became members. The ECO region is located in neighbourhood of China, Europe, Russia and Gulf States.

(WITH INPUT FROM APP)