Russia and Pakistan on Monday recognized and appreciated each other’s efforts in combating international terrorism and emphasized the need for greater collaboration on countering terrorism financing, the Foreign Ministry said on Monday.
During the 9th meeting of the Russia-Pakistan Joint Working Group on Combating International Terrorism and Other Challenges to Security, the two sides underscored the need for greater collaboration between Pakistan and Russia on addressing challenges to security and reaffirmed their commitment to counter the spread of terrorist propaganda in the information space, particularly on the Internet, and the phenomenon of foreign terrorist fighters.
The meeting, held in Moscow on Nov. 22, was co-chaired by Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Oleg V Syromolotov, and Pakistan’s Additional Foreign Secretary Nabil Munir.
During the meeting, the two sides exchanged views on the challenges Russia and Pakistan are facing as well as the global war on terror and extremism. New threats to international and regional peace and security, particularly the current situation in Afghanistan, were also discussed in the meeting.
Both sides acknowledged each other’s efforts against international terrorism and stressed the need for enhanced cooperation to address regional security challenges. Pakistan and Russia also agreed that “the spread of terrorist ideologies and the emergence of new forms of terrorism was a serious challenge.”
As part of this strategic dialogue, Russia and Pakistan also conducted a thorough exchange of assessments of global and regional terrorist threats, particularly in Afghanistan, the Middle East and North Africa, and Central and South Asia. Both sides agreed to expand their bilateral assistance on issues related to combating international terrorism and other security challenges.
The meeting reiterated to further broaden Russia and Pakistan’s bilateral engagement on issues related to combating international terrorism and other challenges to security. The two sides reaffirmed their willingness to work together on common issues at key international platforms such as the United Nations and regional bodies like the SCO.
The next meeting of the Joint Working Group would be held in 2022.