Pakistan assured of Polish support in quest for EU trade preferences

Pakistan and Poland are strengthening economic ties, as Polish government has assured Pakistan of full support in its quest for Autonomous Trade Preferences in EU, whereas Pakistan sought greater collaboration in the energy sector and capacity building in the drilling for oil and gas exploration.
Syed Nayyer Hussain Bokhari, Chairman Senate of Pakistan said this on concluding his five-day official visit to Poland on Friday. During the visit, the Chairman was accompanied by an eight member Senate delegation. Apart from meeting his Polish host Bogdan Borusewicz, Marshal of Polish Senate, the Chairman called on President Bronislaw Komorowski. He also met Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy, Janusz Piechocinski, Minister for National Defence, Tomasz Siemoniak, Speaker of Sejm (Lower House) Ewa Kopacz and the President of Polish Chamber of Commerce Andrzej Arendarski.
During interaction with his Polish hosts, the Chairman highlighted the strong democratic base of Pakistan and the first transition of power from one democratically elected government to the next one as a result of 11 May general elections. He thanked the Polish Government for their support of Pakistan’s quest for Autonomous Trade Preferences in the European Union.
Fondly recalling his visit to Pakistan in November last year, Marshal Bogdan Borusewicz expressed his satisfaction at the regular exchange of Parliamentary delegations between the two countries.
The Chairman also briefed the Polish President about developments in Pakistan’s neighbourhood. He highlighted Pakistan’s desire to have stability in the region, good relations with India and progress in the Afghan-led and Afghan-owned process of reconciliation in Afghanistan. The Chairman renewed the invitation of the President to the Polish President to visit Pakistan.
In his meetings with Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy, President of the Polish Chamber of Commerce and Polish oil companies, the Chairman sought greater collaboration in the energy sector and capacity building in the drilling for oil and gas exploration, especially through scholarships for Pakistani students in the Polish universities. He showed satisfaction at the current level of trade and economic cooperation and expressed his desire to increase its level to fully utilize the full trade potential which the two countries offer to its business entrepreneurs. The two sides agreed that early establishment of Joint Economic Commission between Poland and Pakistan and signing of Memorandum of Understanding on cooperation in the field of Energy and Mineral resources will act as a catalyst to further boost the trade. The Chairman of newly formed Poland Pakistan Parliamentary Group, Mr. Jerzy Wenderlich hosted a luncheon meeting for the visiting delegation. The Chairman Senate also met with the President and representatives of Geofizyka Krakow and Exalo Drilling in the city of Krakow.
This was the first official visit of Chairman Syed Nayyer Hussain Bokhari and was in continuation of the visit by former Chairman Senate Farooq. H. Naek to Poland in 2011 and Marshal Mr. Bogdan Borusewicz to Pakistan in November last year.
The visit underlined the strengthening of relations between Pakistan and Poland which will further increase understanding at the leadership level as well as at the level of parliamentarians of the two countries.