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http://www.adnki.com/index_2Level_English.php?cat=Politics&loid=8.0.360480094&par=0
slamabad, 16 Nov. (AKI/APP) - Pakistan and Russia on Thursday agreed to further expand cooperation in various fields including trade, economic, oil and gas and defence. Foreign Minister Khurshid Mahmood Kasuri and his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov told reporters after their meeting that they discussed regional and international issues of mutual interest, including Pakistan-India relations and the composite dialogue for resolution of core issues including Kashmir dispute, the war against terror, Central Asia, Afghanistan, the Middle East process, Iraq and Iran.
Lavrov said both the countries have agreed to launch a Pakistan-Russia Joint Governmental Commission to promote economic and trade ties, which should meet regularly.
Kasuri noted that bilateral trade has more than doubled last year to over 500 million dollars. He said the visits of trade delegations to each others countries in September had helped identify specific areas of cooperation and both sides are keen to follow up on that.
Kasuri said Pakistan and the Russian Federation enjoy friendly and cooperative relations, based on a common desire to promote peace, prosperity and stability in their respective regions, and the world.
"We consider Russia as an engine for increased economic growth and a factor of peace and stability in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) region and it is satisfying to see the steady growth in the multi-dimensional relationship" Kasuri said.
"We also welcome Russia's strong political and economic interest in Iran-Pakistan-India (IPI) gas pipeline and are considering Russian participation in the project," said Kasuri.
