MEETING OF DEPUTY PM RUSSIA & FED. MINISTER ABDUL ALEEM KHANTAPI GAS, TRADE, COMMUNICATION & RAIL TRACK DISCUSSED PAKISTAN & RUSSIA AGREED TO INCREASE TRADE RELATIONS
Moscow: In Moscow, Deputy Prime Minister of Russia Mr. Alexey Overchuk and Russian Ministers were called on by Federal Minister for Board of Investment, Privatization & Communications, Abdul Aleem Khan in Kremlin. In this meeting both the delegations of Pakistan and Russia held a detail discussion on agreement of international Road Transport while Tapi Gas, bilateral trade, communications, proposed rail track and other projects were also came reviewed. Deputy Prime Minister of Russia Alexey Overchuk appreciated Pakistan’s interest in the North-South International Transport Corridor and said that it would help Eurasia and North South countries to have the best trade corridor. In the meeting between the Federal Minister Abdul Aleem Khan and the Russian Deputy Prime Minister the increase in bilateral cooperation, the volume of trade between the two countries and the proposed trade route of Pakistan, Iran, Azerbaijan and Russia were also discussed. Deputy Prime Minister of Russia welcomed the holding of the 3-day Business and Trade Investment Forum in Moscow and expressed his best wishes towards Pakistan. He called it a great success that 70 major companies from Pakistan under the leadership of Federal Minister Abdul Aleem Khan have taken participation in this Forum to enhance two-way trade and declared a milestone in this regard. In his conversation, Abdul Aleem Khan said that Pakistan wants to increase trade relations with Russia and we will encourage business enterprises from Russia to come forward and invest in Pakistan. He said that his 3-day visit has been useful in all respects while in particular, encouraging results are expected from the meetings with the Moscow Chamber of Commerce and the business community, here. He offered thanks to the Deputy Prime Minister and the Ministers of Russia and expressed that such Forums will continue to be held in the future so that the confidence of the business community on both sides could increase and we can move forward with meaningful engagements. Apart from Pakistan Ambassador to Russia Mr. Khalid Jmali, Russian Minister of Transport Mr. Roman Starovoyt and Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade Mr. Alexey Gruzdev were also present who briefed Federal Minister Abdul Aleem Khan about the role of their Departments. Meanwhile, on the concluding day of the 3-day Pakistan-Russia Trade & Investment Forum in Moscow, Federal Minister for Board of Investment Abdul Aleem Khan held meetings with Heads of Russian Business Organizations and Institutions in which he thanked the Moscow Chamber of Commerce and the Government of Russia. He said that Pakistan intends to increase its exports from Russia to 4.16 billion dollars in the next 5 years. He said that we will give importance to the recommendations of the Russian business community to increase bilateral trade as Pakistan’s main goal is to raise exports for which will move forward with a new plan of action. Federal Minister Abdul Aleem Khan said that Textiles, Surgical Instruments, Food, Agriculture and leather products are important sectors for Pakistan, we have to adopt a common strategy to solve the problems we are both facing. Abdul Aleem Khan said that his visit to Russia has been very useful and successful and he will return from Moscow with good memories, positive and strong hopes.
