Bilawal, Saudi FM discuss ways to enhance bilateral ties

Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and his Saudi counterpart Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud expressed the resolve on Wednesday to deepen the mutual cooperation in all fields, including economy, trade and investment as well as at multilateral fora.

Bilawal also met Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Secretary General Dr Nayef Falah Al-Hajraf and reviewed the status of Pakistan’s cooperation with GCC states. Both sides expressed determination to conclude the negotiations on the Pakistan-GCC free trade agreement (FTA) at the earliest.

Minister of State Hina Rabbani Khar and Minister of Climate Change Sherry Rehman were also present during the meeting, held on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, said a press release issued here by the Foreign Ministry.

During the meeting with Prince Faisal, various aspects of bilateral relations, besides regional and global issues of mutual interest were discussed. The two foreign ministers expressed satisfaction over the excellent bilateral partnership and resolved to strengthen this partnership for mutual benefit.

Noting the commonality of views between the two sides on international issues, the two foreign ministers agreed to jointly explore avenues for improving coordination among the developing countries, including through the platform of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC).

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Meanwhile, the foreign minister and the GCC secretary general agreed to explore further avenues for enhancing bilateral trade and economic ties between Pakistan and the GCC. It was also agreed to strengthen institutional linkages, in line with the Joint Action Plan for Strategic Dialogue.

Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari also met with his Austrian counterpart, Alexander Schallenberg. He underscored that Pakistan valued its relations with Austria, both bilaterally as well as a key member of the European Union.

The two foreign ministers discussed the entire spectrum of Pakistan-Austria relations. Bilawal hoped that the two sides would work together for greater collaboration in various sectors including trade and investment, higher education, renewable energy, tourism, and science and technology.