Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif held separate meetings with the Emir of Qatar H.H. Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al Thani, President of Sri Lanka Mahinda Rajapaksa and President of the European Council, Mr. Herman Van Rompuy in New York City on Wednesday and exchanged views on matters of bilateral interest.
During his meeting with the Emir of Qatar, the Prime Minister said Pakistan and Qatar enjoy cordial relations and expressed his desire of promoting and further strengthening bilateral relations, particularly in economic cooperation.
The Emir of Qatar reiterated the importance that his country gives to its relations with Pakistan. He noted the valuable contributions that overseas Pakistanis living in Qatar made for his country’s development. The two leaders agreed that the close political ties need to be translated into a mutually beneficial economic partnership.
Discussions focused in particular on the energy and power sectors, including LNG import by Pakistan.
During meeting with President of Sri Lanka Mahinda Rajapaksa, the Prime Minister stated that he looked forward to his participation in the Commonwealth Heads of Governments meeting (CHOGM) to be held in Sri Lanka in November 2013.
The Sri Lankan President thanked Pakistan for supporting Sri Lanka in its fight against terrorism . He invited Pakistani investors to invest in Sri Lanka especially in the sugar industry. The two leaders agreed to continue to work together to strengthen bilateral relations through regular contact, exchange of visits and by increasing trade and investment interactions.
The Prime Minister also had a meeting Wednesday with the President of European Council, Mr. Herman Van Rompuy. The Prime Minister briefed the EU high dignitaries on the positive strides that Pakistan has made towards democracy by holding free, fair and transparent elections with a record turnout despite security challenges.
Mr. Nawaz Sharif stated that his government’s priorities include reviving the economy, overcoming the energy shortages, eradicating extremism and promoting human rights. Noting that the EU is Pakistan’s single largest trading partner, the Prime Minister stated that Pakistan’s inclusion in the GSP plus scheme in 2014 would bolster Pakistan’s trade and investment linkages with the European Union.
The President of the European Council said that the EU attached high importance to its relations with Pakistan. He lauded the democratic progress in Pakistan and expressed appreciation for the positive agenda of the present government in Pakistan. He said that he looked forward to the second round of Pakistan-EU strategic dialogue to be held in Brussels on 15 October 2013.
