Foreign Minister Makhdoom Shah Mahmood Qureshi on Thursday held wide-ranging delegation-level talks with the Federal Minister for European and International Affairs of Austria, Alexander Schallenberg, in which the two counterparts noted that both the countries are unfolding various new phases of economic ties.
The Austrian Foreign Minister, along with a business delegation, is on an official four-day visit to Pakistan from 16th to 19th March 2022, at the invitation of Shah Mahmood Qureshi.
During the delegation-level meeting, the two sides discussed Pakistan-Austria mutual cooperation in different sectors including:
- Science & technology
- Trade and investment
- Tourism
- Renewable energy, and
- Higher education
FM Qureshi said that opportunities for trade and investment were identified in the meeting.
Mr. Schallenberg while talking to the media said his visit would mark the “beginning of a new era in relations between the two countries not only politically but also economically”.
The Austrian dignitary also met Prime Minister Imran Khan and discussed ways to further enhance bilateral relations and economic cooperation.
The Foreign Minister, Mr. Qureshi hoped that the two countries could collaborate to boost high-level exchanges as well as parliamentary interactions. He appreciated the Austrian government’s assistance for the Pakistan-Austria Institute of Applied Sciences and Technology in Haripur, underlining that we needed to establish more such projects in Pakistan.
Regional situation was also discussed:
In addition to discussions on issues of mutual interest, the two counterparts also exchanged views on the regional situation including Afghanistan, IIOJK and Ukraine.
Shah Mahmood Qureshi presented the country’s viewpoint on Afghan issue, highlighting that the major concerns in Afghanistan right now are humanitarian as well as economic crises, which needed to be tackled at the earliest.
He further shared Pakistan’s stance on Ukraine-Russia conflict, urging sustained dialogue, astute diplomacy and cessation of hostilities for a diplomatic solution. The Foreign Minister hoped that talks between Russia and Ukraine could yield a positive outcome.
He also thanked neighboring European countries for support extended in evacuation of Pakistani nationals from Ukraine.