ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov discussed bilateral ties and matters of mutual interest during a meeting in Goa on Thursday.
According to a press statement issued by a Pakistan Foreign Office spokesperson on Twitter, the two leaders held the meeting on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Foreign Ministers Meeting (CFP) in Goa.
➖They discussed bilateral, regional & int’l matters of mutual interest.
➖Assured to work closely for further deepening cooperation in food security, energy & people to people contacts.
➖SCO opens new vistas of cooperation & coordination with Russia.#PakFMatSCO
🇵🇰🤝🇷🇺 pic.twitter.com/Ym29jLOF7W
— Ministry of Foreign Affairs – Pakistan (@ForeignOfficePk) May 4, 2023
Pakistan’s delegation arrives in Goa for SCO meeting
It stated, “the two sides will work closely for further deepening cooperation in food, energy, and security and people-to-people contact.”
The foreign office spokesperson said that the Shanghai Cooperation Organization opens new vistas of coordination and cooperation with Russia.
FM @BBhuttoZardari met Russian FM @mfa_russia on the sidelines of #SCO CFM in Goa today. #PakFMatSCO
🇵🇰🤝🇷🇺 pic.twitter.com/To2KBMTbev
— Ministry of Foreign Affairs – Pakistan (@ForeignOfficePk) May 4, 2023
During the meeting, the two top diplomats also discussed bilateral ties, matters of mutual interests, and regional and global issues.
Earlier, Bilawal Bhutto emphasized the significance of Pakistan’s membership in the SCO and its commitment to its charter. In a statement before his departure, he said that his participation in the SCO meeting showed how seriously Islamabad took its membership and the organization’s significance.
After arriving in Goa, the FM expressed hope that the meeting would be a success.
The meeting, which is the first trip of a top Pakistani official to India since former PM Nawaz Sharif’s visit in 2014, will discuss several issues, including regional security and economic coordination.
Islamabad’s participation in the SCO meeting reflects its commitment to the organization’s charter and processes and the importance that Pakistan accords to the region in its foreign policy top priorities, the Foreign Office said.
Since joining the SCO in 2017, Islamabad has been actively contributing to all activities of SCO to achieve its objectives in a mutually beneficial way.
The FM’s attendance at the meeting is an opportunity for Islamabad to engage with other member nations and strengthen its cooperation with these states.
