Business

Pak-Russia ties: Big room for enhancing trade, says envoy

Talks under way to steer Pakistan out of energy crisis.

Imran Rana March 16, 2015

Pakistan can be assisted in various fields including geology, transport and infrastructure development. PHOTO: FILE

FAISALABAD: Relations between Pakistan and Russia are heading in the right direction on the diplomatic front, but a direct link is needed between business communities of the two countries in order to give a boost to bilateral trade, suggested Alexey Yuri Dedov, Ambassador of the Russian Federation.

Speaking to members of the Faisalabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FCCI), Dedov talked about how the two countries could benefit from each other and pointed out that negotiations were under way to steer Pakistan out of the energy crisis.

He saw immense room for improvement in trade and invited the FCCI members to share proposals for enhancing bilateral trade.

Responding to a query about the funds of Pakistanis stuck in Russian banks, he said the issue needed to be resolved through negotiations.

Russian Federation trade representative Yuri Kozlor explained in detail the huge opportunities of bilateral cooperation between the two sides and said Pakistan Steel Mills and Guddu Power Plant in Muzaffargarh were the examples of cooperation and close linkages.

According to Kozlor, Pakistan can be assisted in various fields including geology, transport and infrastructure development.

“Information about major Russian companies is available on our website with their field of expertise,” he said.

FCCI President Engineer Rizwan Ashraf, while talking about the economic potential of Faisalabad, pointed out huge reserves of iron ore had been discovered just 20 to 25 kilometres from this city near Chiniot. With Russian experience in exploration and construction of steel projects, Ashraf expressed the hope that Moscow would assist Pakistan in setting up new steel mills.

Russian Federation Counsellor Habib Ahmed said Russia was willing to provide Pakistan technical and financial support for mega transnational projects such as CASA-1000 power supply and Tapi gas pipeline.

He said businessmen could avail huge opportunities in Russia and proposed a Pak-Russian trade centre to further strengthen economic relations in the long run.

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

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COMMENTS (1)

woody | 9 years ago | Reply Russia/Pakistan energy cooperation makes little sense. Russia needs a paying customer because it's European customers have decided to find a more reliable supplier - the operative word is "paying". If Pakistan had the money it would simply buy oil/gas from it's Muslim brothers in the Middle East rather than a country which has been historically viewed as an enemy and has a long history of persecuting Muslims.

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