Islamabad: Pakistan and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) agreed to expand economic ties and strengthen cooperation in areas of mutual interest.
Dr Nayef Falah Mubarak Hajraf, Secretary-General of the Gulf Cooperation Council stressed the importance of strengthening close relations between GCC and Pakistan. Dr Nayef, who is in Islamabad to attend the OIC special session on Afghanistan, also urged to intensify cooperation with Pakistan in areas of mutual interest.
GCC Secretary-General met with Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi on the sidelines of the OIC summit on December 18 and discussed the Afghanistan situation and especially Pakistan-GCC cooperation.
“Pakistan is a strategic and important trading partner for the Gulf Cooperation Council,” noted GCC Secretary-General. He added that it is the most opportune time for the two sides “to move the partnership to broader and more comprehensive levels” that would establish a new phase that serves common interests and allows the Gulf and Pakistani private sectors to seize the opportunities in the post-coronavirus era.
During the talks session, the GGC Secretary-General and Pakistani foreign minister also reviewed the prospects of free trade negotiations between the two sides and stressed the need to move forward to improve economic ties.
FM Qureshi lauded the historical and solid relations between the GCC countries. Both officials expressed their desire to further strengthen cooperation to move towards “comprehensive partnership, with a renewed focus on the promotion of bilateral trade and business relations.” They also agreed to cooperate closely to conclude Pakistan-GCC Free Trade Agreement at the earliest.
Relations between the GCC countries and Pakistan have always been a model for relations based on mutual respect, said the GCC Secretary-General, urging for further coordination to improve ties in the fields of investment and economy.
