ID :
206798
Tue, 09/13/2011 - 10:25
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://www.oananews.org//node/206798
The shortlink copeid
Pakistani PM Urges Rapid Implementation of Gas, Power Projects with Iran
TEHRAN (FNA)- Pakistani Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani called for the rapid implementation of gas and power projects with Iran, reminding that his country is in dire need of energy supplies for economic growth.
Gilani made the remarks during a meeting with Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, where both sides underlined rapid expedition of a multi-billion-dollar gas pipeline project which is due to take Iran's gas reserves to Pakistan and export of 1000 MW of Iranian-generated electricity to South Asian country.
Ahmadinejad and Gilani also agreed to enhance cooperation in trade and economy and security and intelligence sharing.
They agreed to allow private sectors to play a role in developing their economies and to set up a mechanism to remove bottlenecks, if any.
Ahmadinejad said Pakistan would get priority in meeting the requirements of Iran and goods and services available in Pakistan would get preferential treatment. He said his country was interested in importing wheat, vegetables, fruits and other items from Pakistan.
The two countries agreed to increase bilateral trade to $10 billion from the current $1.2 billion. Gilani called for upgrading rail, road and air links to realize the immense potential of trade.
Ahmadinejad said Iran, Afghanistan and Pakistan should make coordinated efforts to resolve the issue of security in the region.
Gilani said two committees, one headed by foreign ministers and the other by interior ministers, would meet on a regular basis to make their borders safe and work out ways of boosting economic activities and trade.
He said there was a paradigm shift in Pakistan's foreign policy and it wanted to forge close relations with its neighbors. Iran, he added, was one of the countries with which it would like to develop 'very close relations'.
He said Pakistan wanted a sovereign, independent, prosperous and stable Afghanistan and supported an Afghan-led and Afghan-owned reconciliation process.
He said Pakistan had lost 5,000 soldiers and 35,000 civilians in the war against terrorism, adding that his government had made it clear to the US government that unilateral actions were not acceptable and if they had any credible information they must pass it on to Pakistan and its security forces would act on it. He said drone attacks were counter-productive and should be stopped.
The Iranian president said that outside powers kept them underdeveloped because they derived strength from their weaknesses. "They keep the countries poor and unstable."
He called for a new world order based on humanitarian values and justice. "The world is going through transition at a very fast speed and it is imperative that innovative strategy should be evolved and implemented to offset its negative fallout on our people."
The Iranian president agreed to consider Pakistan's request for opening a consulate in Bandar Abbas and a cultural center in Tehran, and said he was looking forward to visiting Pakistan to meet his Pakistani brothers and sisters.
Gilani made the remarks during a meeting with Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, where both sides underlined rapid expedition of a multi-billion-dollar gas pipeline project which is due to take Iran's gas reserves to Pakistan and export of 1000 MW of Iranian-generated electricity to South Asian country.
Ahmadinejad and Gilani also agreed to enhance cooperation in trade and economy and security and intelligence sharing.
They agreed to allow private sectors to play a role in developing their economies and to set up a mechanism to remove bottlenecks, if any.
Ahmadinejad said Pakistan would get priority in meeting the requirements of Iran and goods and services available in Pakistan would get preferential treatment. He said his country was interested in importing wheat, vegetables, fruits and other items from Pakistan.
The two countries agreed to increase bilateral trade to $10 billion from the current $1.2 billion. Gilani called for upgrading rail, road and air links to realize the immense potential of trade.
Ahmadinejad said Iran, Afghanistan and Pakistan should make coordinated efforts to resolve the issue of security in the region.
Gilani said two committees, one headed by foreign ministers and the other by interior ministers, would meet on a regular basis to make their borders safe and work out ways of boosting economic activities and trade.
He said there was a paradigm shift in Pakistan's foreign policy and it wanted to forge close relations with its neighbors. Iran, he added, was one of the countries with which it would like to develop 'very close relations'.
He said Pakistan wanted a sovereign, independent, prosperous and stable Afghanistan and supported an Afghan-led and Afghan-owned reconciliation process.
He said Pakistan had lost 5,000 soldiers and 35,000 civilians in the war against terrorism, adding that his government had made it clear to the US government that unilateral actions were not acceptable and if they had any credible information they must pass it on to Pakistan and its security forces would act on it. He said drone attacks were counter-productive and should be stopped.
The Iranian president said that outside powers kept them underdeveloped because they derived strength from their weaknesses. "They keep the countries poor and unstable."
He called for a new world order based on humanitarian values and justice. "The world is going through transition at a very fast speed and it is imperative that innovative strategy should be evolved and implemented to offset its negative fallout on our people."
The Iranian president agreed to consider Pakistan's request for opening a consulate in Bandar Abbas and a cultural center in Tehran, and said he was looking forward to visiting Pakistan to meet his Pakistani brothers and sisters.
