- EU ambassador to Pakistan vouches for better economic and trade ties
- EU delegation holds meeting with PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto
ISLAMABAD: Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi on Monday called for an enhanced trade and economic cooperation with the European Union to help Pakistan optimally benefit from the Generalised System of Preferences GSP (GSP) Plus Scheme.
Talking to a delegation of the European Parliament’s South Asia Delegation led by Jean Lambert, the foreign minister expressed satisfaction over the positive growth in Pakistan-EU relations and called for an increase in the parliamentary exchanges, besides building linkages through cultural and educational exchanges and people to people contacts, a statement from the Foreign Office (FO) said.
The two sides also discussed global and regional issues of mutual interests. The foreign minister briefed MEPs on Pakistan’s approach towards promoting regional peace and prosperity.
He also highlighted the recent wave of grave violations of human rights by the Indian security forces in Indian Occupied Jammu and Kashmir and urged the EU Parliament to take a public position on UN Human Rights Commissioner’s report on Jammu and Kashmir.
The EU delegation acknowledged the progress made by Pakistan in political and economic spheres, especially in democracy, counter-terrorism and human rights domains.
The delegation assured continued cooperation with the government in its future endeavours.
EU AMBASSADOR WANTS EXTENDED ECONOMIC, TRADE TIES:
Separately, the European Union (EU) Ambassador to Pakistan Jean François Cautain said the EU wants to extend economic and trade ties with Pakistan while GSP Plus would play a major role in increasing Pakistan exports to EU countries.
During a recent visit of EU Commission’s trade delegations to Pakistan, the two sides have discussed the different issues for the third review process of GSP Plus to enhance the trade and economic relations between Pakistan and EU.
He said through the GSP, we will extend preferential market access to developing countries. The ambassador said the eligibility of countries placed in the GSP Plus incentive scheme will be confirmed by an assessment of their effective implementation of core human and labour rights, good governance and environmental conventions before the beginning of 2006.
EU PARLIAMENTARY DELEGATION CALLS ON BILAWAL:
A four-member delegation of the European Parliament Committee for relations with South Asia called on Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari at Zardari House in Islamabad on Monday.
The European Parliamentary delegation comprised of Jean Lambert, Wajid Khan, Sajjad Karim and George Mayer. EU Ambassador in Islamabad was also present in the meeting.
PPP chairman was assisted by party’s Secretary GeneralNayyar Bokhari, Senator Sherry Rehman, MNA Nafisa Shah, Senator Mustafa Khokhar and Pakistan People’s Party Parliamentarians (PPPP) Secretary General Farhatullah Babar.
Issues of mutual interest including compliance by Pakistan with GSP Plus obligations and core international human rights conventions, freedom of expression and other human rights issues came under discussion during the meeting.
