Islamabad, 1 June 2023 (TDI): The Ambassador of Azerbaijan to Pakistan, Khazar Farhadov, visited the office of the Minister of State for Petroleum, Dr. Musadik Malik, for a meeting.
According to a tweet by Azerbaijani Economy Minister Mikayil Jabbarov, Azerbaijan and Pakistan recently discussed promoting trade and investment between the two nations.
“During our meeting with Musadik Masood Malik, Minister of State for Petroleum of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, we discussed the current state of our economic relations. We also emphasized the promotion of mutual trade and investments and the potential expansion of our cooperation in energy, transit logistics, and industry,” Jabbarov tweeted.
On May 31, 2023, the 3rd Round of Pakistan-Azerbaijan Bilateral Political Consultations occurred in Baku. Foreign Secretary Dr. Asad Majeed Khan led the Pakistani team, while Deputy Foreign Minister Elnur Mammadov headed the Azerbaijani delegation. Ambassador Bilal Hayee was also present at the meeting.
During the meeting, both parties engaged in a comprehensive evaluation of their extensive and significant bilateral relationship.
They confidently agreed to strengthen and broaden their friendly ties, focusing on increasing and diversifying their trade relations.
Additionally, they expressed their strong commitment to closer collaboration in critical areas such as energy, information technology, labor mobility, agriculture, transportation, and education.
Both parties were pleased with their collaboration in international forums, especially at the United Nations and the OIC.
The Foreign Secretary confidently updated their Azerbaijani counterpart on the situation in India’s Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK).
He expressed gratitude to Azerbaijan for their unwavering support on this issue in various international platforms, such as the OIC Contact Group on Jammu and Kashmir.
Furthermore, the Foreign Secretary reaffirmed Pakistan’s unwavering stance on respecting Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity and sovereignty.
The Foreign Secretary met with a group of crucial Azerbaijani business people and senior company representatives to discuss opportunities for trade and investment between Pakistan and Azerbaijan, recognizing the increasing economic potential between the two countries.
The meeting aimed to strengthen the amicable and collaborative relations between Pakistan and Azerbaijan, focusing on expanding the scope of partnership beyond the oil and gas sector.
The tourism industry was identified as an area of particular interest. Azerbaijan has demonstrated a strong commitment to fostering economic ties between the two nations, similar to the successful partnership between Turkey and Azerbaijan.
The Minister’s words were filled with admiration for the longstanding bond between the two nations and a deep commitment to elevating them to new heights.
He pledged unwavering support for the Working Groups devoted to energy and announced the appointment of a dedicated focal person from the petroleum division to oversee all energy sector collaborations.
The minister expressed gratitude for Azerbaijan’s state oil company SOCAR’s investment proposals worth 100 million dollars in the LNG sector. The proposals range from establishing a terminal to providing short-term loans and deferred payment facilities. Given the country’s growing energy demands, this investment and partnership is a significant opportunity.
It was highlighted during the meeting that Pakistan has enormous potential for oil and gas exploration. Both countries will discuss avenues of cooperation in this sector.
Ambassador praised Pakistan’s unconditional support to Azerbaijan and expressed his desire to advance relations. The direct flight operation from Islamabad to Baku starts in June with people-to-people linkages.
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