KARACHI, May 12: Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov has said that Moscow attaches great importance to its mutual understanding and partnership with Islamabad as both the countries have a lot of common goals in securing progress towards a just world order.

His remarks came in his message read out at a seminar organized by the Pakistan Institute of International Affairs (PIIA) in connection with 55 years of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries. The seminar was chaired by Fatahyab Ali Khan, Chairman of the PIIA.

Participants of the seminar expressed the hope that in view of its unique relationship with both Pakistan and India, the Russian Federation would facilitate in the current peace initiative in South Asia.

Mr Ivanov, in his message read out by Moin Jan Naeem, Director General at the Foreign Office in Islamabad, said that in the current uneasy world situation, the commonality of goals between the two countries included securing progress towards a just order, based on democratic values and the UN Charter, fighting terrorism and religious extremism, cross-border drug trafficking and other kinds of organized crimes.

Foreign Minister Khurshid Mehmood Kasuri, in a similar message, said the potential and commitment for the future were very promising for mutually beneficial relations by shared perception on a wide range of issues.

In his address, Mr Vladimir Mikhaylov, Consul-General of the Russian Federation, recalled the past history and landmark cooperation between the two countries in oil exploration, Steel Mills, etc. and said that in two weeks time a high-level delegation of Pakistani businessmen would visit Russia to break new grounds of mutually beneficial relations in the wake of WTO.

He said that both countries needed stability and emphasized that with world moving towards multi-polarity, Russia-Pakistan interaction was important for Moscow. On a number of issues, he added, there was a convergence of views.

Mr Mikhaylov said that both Pakistan and Russia faced the challenge of terrorism which was undermining internal stability and security of the people. He, nevertheless, emphasized that terrorism should not be artificially linked to any religion or nationality.

Referring to the lessons learnt by Moscow after its experience of invading Afghanistan under Soviet rule, the Consul-General said that it demonstrated that extreme poverty, destitution and despotism represented a fertile soil for terrorism. He said the situation in Afghanistan brought Moscow to realize that the denial of human dignity and rights resulted in trans-border tragedies.

The Russian Counsel-General said that problems and major misunderstandings between the two countries were left behind when Gen Musharraf and President Vladimir Putin met.

He pointed out that at the highest level, both the countries condemned terrorism in all its forms and manifestation. He pointed out that the establishment of Russia-Pakistan Joint Working Group on Counter-terrorism and other new challenges on international security were significant developments besides MoUs signed in the economic and cultural realm.

Mr Mikhaylov said that his arrival here to take up the assignment a year back, when other foreigners were flying out owing to security situation here, and subsequent visits by Russian experts for the Pakistan Steel, was the testimony of the importance Moscow attached to its relations with Islamabad.

The Russian Consul, Vadim Akhmetov, and Director of the Russian Centre for Science and Culture, Sergy Kuznetsov, dwelt with economic cooperation and opportunities for cultural exchanges between the two countries.

Senior Columnist M. H. Askari suggested that Russia should take interest in the process of normalization of relations between Pakistan and India.