• In meeting with Shehbaz, Putin expresses readiness to promote cooperation in food security
• Premier urges an end to banking issues with Moscow
• Offers Tajikistan to use Karachi port for transit trade
• Xi, Putin hail efforts to ‘harden’ anti-West alliance

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Sheh­baz Sharif on Wednesday met Russian President Vladimir Putin, his Tajik counterpart Qohir Rasulzoda and Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, seeking to expand bilateral ties, especially economic cooperation, with the three countries.

While PM Shehbaz called President Putin to boost trade ties with Pakistan, he offered the Tajik leader to use Karachi port for the purpose.

During their meeting, President Mirzi­yoyev and PM Shehbaz committed to expand mutually beneficial cooperation in trade, connectivity, defence, security, culture and people-to-people contacts.

The prime minister is on a two-day visit to Astana to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation Council, Heads of State (CHS) and SCO Plus summits.

After his meeting with President Putin in Kazakhstan’s capital of Astana, PM Shehbaz said it was heartening that ties between Pakistan and Russia were growing and strengthening through a shared desire and mutual resolve of both countries.

On his X account, he posted, “Had a cordial meeting with President Vladimir Putin of the Russian Federation on the sidelines of SCO meeting in Astana today. We exchanged views on bilateral cooperation in multiple areas of mutual interest. We also discussed the regional and international issues.”

In his remarks, President Putin mentioned their earlier interaction in Samarkand on the sidelines of SCO summit in which they had discussed the ways to further improve bilateral relations.

He said Pakistan and Russia enjoyed cordial re­­lations which had impro­ved due to the trade linkages.

Mr Putin said both countries could enhance their cooperation in energy and agriculture and expressed his readiness to promote cooperation with Pakistan in the field of food security.

According to the Prime Minister’s Office, the premier called for overcoming financial and banking issues between Pakistan and Russia by renewing and expanding trade under a barter system.

PM Shehbaz recalled how Pakistan and Russia used to have a bilateral trade and a barter system in the 1950s and 1960s.

“I think today is the time we can overcome financial and other banking issues by renewing our trade and expanding our trade under a barter,” PM Shehbaz told President Putin. “That will be very beneficial to Pakistan and we will able to overcome many problems.”

He called for enhancing trade between the two countries, noting it was currently touching $1 billion.

“I would like to work with you closely to further cement our relations,” PM Shehbaz told President Putin. “We have a whole lot to do and we can benefit from your experience.”

The prime minister stressed that diplomatic relations between Pakistan and Russia were based on strength.

“Neither are our relations driven by any geopolitical contingency nor are these impacted by relations with other countries.

“I would like to thank you for this opportunity and would like to assure you on my behalf [and] on behalf of the people of Pakistan that we really want to further strengthen our relations,” he said.

Ties with Tajikistan

Emphasising the need for establishing road and rail links between Pakistan and Taj­ikistan, PM Shehbaz invited Tajik PM Rasul­zoda to use Karachi Port for the transit trade.

The prime minister gave the offer while discussing bilateral ties with PM Rasulzoda at Dushanbe, Tajikistan. The prime minister paid a two-day official visit to Tajikistan at the invitation of Emomali Rahmon.

Hailing the signing of the Stra­tegic Partnership Agreement as a historic moment in bilateral ties, PM Shehbaz expressed the hope that this elevation of relationship would open up new areas of mutually beneficial economic cooperation. He said Pakistan would continue to pursue enhanced engagement with Central Asian countries, including Tajikistan, in line with its “Vision Central Asia” policy.

The PM suggested Pakistan host a regional connectivity summit to provide trade corridors to Central Asian countries and promote regional trade.

Both sides also committed to exploring the possibility of granting preferential market access to each other’s goods, including through discussions on a Preferential Trade Agreement (PTA), according to a joint statement issued after the PM’s visit to Tajikistan.

The two countries reaffirmed their commitment to early completion of the flagship power project CASA-1000.

Recognising the significance of the Pakistan-Tajikistan Joint Com­mission on Trade, Economic, and Scientific-Technical Coopera­tion, both parties expressed their preparedness to convene the 7th Session of the Joint Commission in Islam­abad at the earliest opportunity.

The Tajik president and PM Shehbaz inked the Strategic Partnership Agreement between the two countries.

Talks with Uzbek leader

In their meeting at Astana, PM Shehbaz and President Mirziyoyev expressed confidence that operationalisation of the prefere­ntial trade agreement and Pakistan-Uzb­ekistan transit trade agree­ment would further enhance bilateral trade and economic relations.

The Karachi Port’s connectivity to Tirmez was also discussed to enhance bilateral trade.

The two leaders also discussed the situation in Afghanistan and the common interest of both Pakistan and Uzbekistan for a peaceful and stable Afghanistan which could be a partner in the development and prosperity of the region.

Tripartite mechanisms

PM Shehbaz proposed to establish tripartite institutional mechanisms, particularly in economic and investment areas, to strengthen Pakistan-Turkiye-Azerbaijan economic and commercial cooperation.

Sharing his views during an inaugural session of the Pakistan-Turkiye-Azerbaijan Tri­lateral Summit held on the sidelines of the SCO Summit, he underscored that Pakistan de­­eply valued its fraternal ties with Azerbaijan and Turkiye which were grounded in deep-rooted cultural, historic and religious bonds as well as mutual respect and support towards each other on core issues.

The summit was attended by PM Shehbaz, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Heydar Aliyev.

Xi-Putin meeting

The leaders of Russia and China hailed their efforts to harden their anti-Western alliance at the SCO summit in Kazakhstan, seeking to press their influence in the strategic Central Asian region.

Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping were in Astana for a meeting of the SCO.

In televised opening remarks ahead of a bilateral meeting, Presi­dent Putin told President Xi that Russia’s ties with China were stronger than ever and touted the SCO as a powerful instrument to advance their foreign policy agendas.

“Russian-Chinese relations, our comprehensive partnership and strategic cooperation, are experiencing their best period in history,” Mr Putin said.

He said SCO was “strengthening its role as one of the key pillars of a fair multipolar world order,” using language characteristic of how Moscow bashes the West.

Besides, President Putin and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping instructed national companies to agree on terms of delivery for the Power of Siberia 2 gas pipeline “as soon as possible”, Interfax reported, quoting Rus­sian deputy prime minister Alexander Novak.

Mr Putin and Mr Xi have expanded the SCO, a club founded in 2001 with Russia, China and Central Asian powers, to include India, Iran and Pakistan as a counterweight to the West.

Mr Putin is holding a series of bilateral meetings on Wednesday on the sidelines of the SCO summit in Astana, the Kremlin said.

Ahead of the meeting with Mr Xi, Mr Putin met Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan, PM Shehbaz, and the presidents of Azerbaijan and Mongolia, Ilham Aliyev and Ukhnaagiin Khurelsukh.

India said PM Narendra Modi, who is expected in Moscow later this month, will not attend the summit. He is sending Foreign Mi­­nister Subrah­manyam Jaishan­kar instead.

—With input from Agencies

Published in Dawn, July 4th, 2024