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By APD writer Muhammad Sohail
**ISLAMABAD, June 10, (APD) ** -- Pakistan and Russia have agreed to take the bilateral relations to the next level by enhancing cooperation in multiple spheres and transforming their cordial political relations into substantive economic partnership, a statement said on Saturday.
The agreement was reached during a bilateral meeting between Pakistani Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif and Russian President Vladimir Putin on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit in Astana, Kazakhstan on Friday.
The two leaders took a comprehensive review of bilateral ties and noted that there was a healthy growth in the relations between two sides and that the high-level interactions and cordial political relations had set the stage for a substantive economic partnership.
They viewed that current state of relations between Pakistan and Russia was characterized by mutual trust, commonality of interest, better understanding and convergence of views on important issues like regional security, combating terrorism, drug tracking and greater economic cooperation.
Pakistan and Russia, who were in opposite camps during the cold war era, changed their policies during recent years. Pakistan hosted first ever Joint Military Exercise 'Friendship 2016' with Russia, which has been seen as manifestation of growing defense and counter- terrorism cooperation which could contribute towards promoting peace and stability in South Asia and Central Asia.
President Putin said, “Our relations are developing in many areas, and our trade has increased, even if only by a few percentage points. Of course, we are able to do much more than we are doing now.”
Both sides also agreed to work on concrete proposals for the next session of Pakistan-Russia Inter-Governmental Commission on Trade, Economic, Scientific, and Technical Cooperation, which will take place in Moscow in December this year.
The strong interest of Russian companies and enterprises in the energy sector of Pakistan was also highlighted. Russia is already engaged in installation of Liquefied Petroleum Gas Air Mix Plants and establishment of a 600MW combined cycle power plant in Pakistan.
Earlier on Friday, Pakistan became a full member of the SCO in Astana summit when Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev welcomed Pakistan as full member of the organization.
On the occasion, Pakistani PM highlighted the fact that the simultaneous admission of Pakistan and India into SCO would improve prospects of better relations between the two countries.
(ASIA PACIFIC DAILY)
