Pakistan and the European Union (EU) agreed on Thursday to strengthen cooperation in security and anti -terrorism among other sectors during a bilateral dialogue, according to a press release issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (FO).
The EU ambassador to Dr. Riina Kionka of Pakistan in March had announced that European companies recognized Pakistan as a potential commercial destination and were exploring new ways for the economic association.
The EU is the second largest commercial partner of Pakistan, with the GSP+ state that allows the country to enjoy free or minimum taxes in European exports.
According to the press release, Pakistan and the EU celebrated their tenth political dialogue in Brussels and discussed key regional and international issues, including multilateral cooperation. Both parties agreed to deepen dialogue and security discussions during the event.
“The EU and Pakistan reaffirmed their commitment to the implementation of the Strategic Participation Plan (SEP) signed in 2019,” said Fo. “Both parties aim to further deepen cooperation in all areas covered by the SEP.”
In addition, both parties agreed to continue with a close commitment under the GSP+frame. They also recognized significant cooperation in several aspects of migration, with the third integral dialogue of migration and mobility scheduled for later in 2025, said the FO.
According to the FO, the EU and Pakistan recognized the importance of multifaceted cooperation in security matters, including anti-terrorism and counter-narcotic.
“They condemned all forms of terrorism,” said the press release. “Both parties agreed to the need for efforts based on dialogue and diplomacy to solve controversial problems and underlined the importance of maintaining international law and holiness of international agreements [and] treated. “
The FO declared that both parties also exchanged points of view on the situation in Ukraine and in Kashmir occupied by India and emphasized the need to look for peaceful solutions to conflicts, with respect to the principles of international law and the UN letter.
“They agreed the urgent need to improve the humanitarian situation in Gaza,” said the statement. “Both parties requested the resumption of a high fire and expressed their support for initiatives that contribute to a fair, lasting and integral peace in Palestine, according to the solution of two states.”
Pakistan and the EU reaffirmed their aspiration to convene the seventh strategic dialogue in 2025 to strengthen the cooperation of Pakistan-EU. According to the FO, they agreed to hold the next political dialogue meeting in Islamabad next year.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Amna Baloch, directed the Pakistan delegation, while the EU delegation was headed by Olof Skoog, general secretary of the European external action service.
The EU is not the only western power with which Pakistan has experienced improved relationships.
Relations between the United States and Pakistan saw a great impulse when the president of the United States, Donald Trump, hosted the head of the Army staff of the Army personnel also in the White House last month at an unprecedented meeting.
During the meeting, Trump “praised the continuous efforts of Pakistan for regional peace and stability, and appreciated the robust anti -terrorist cooperation between the two states,” said a statement of public relations between services.
In addition, the head of the Army of the Central Command of the United States, Michael Kurilla, last month praised Pakistan as a “phenomenal partner in the world of counterterrorism”, citing the nation’s struggle against terrorism in Baluchistan and against terrorist groups such as the Islamic-Korasan State (IS-K).
