Pakistan, Canada agree to reinforce relationship
Islamabad,
Apr
3:
Pakistan
and
Canada
have
agreed
to
further
reinforce
a
broad-based
relationship
in
diverse
fields.
A
decision
to
the
effect
was
taken
at
the
first
round
of
Pakistan-Canada
bilateral
consultations
held
here
yesterday.
The
respective
delegations
were
led
by
additional
secretary
Shahid
Kamal
and
Director-General
in
the
Canadian
Department
of
Foreign
Affairs
and
International
Trade
Randolph
Mank.
''The
Consultations
covered
bilateral
relations,
regional
and
international
issues
of
common
interest,''
a
foreign
ministry
statement
said
here
today.
The
decision
to
institute
regular
Bilateral
Consultations
between
the
foreign
ministries
of
the
two
countries
was
taken
during
the
visit
of
Canadian
Foreign
Minister
Peter
MacKay
to
Pakistan
in
January
this
year.
It
reflected
the
shared
desire
of
both
countries
to
broaden
and
deepen
bilateral
cooperation
and
consult
each
other
on
important
regional
and
international
issues.
''The
two
sides
discussed
ways
and
means
to
expand
bilateral
cooperation
in
diverse
areas,''
said
the
statement.
The
talks
also
focused
on
strengthening
bilateral
economic
relations,
including
proposals
to
enhance
trade
and
investment
links
and
energy
cooperation
between
the
two
countries.
Measures
to
deepen
cooperation
in
the
fields
of
security,
education,
science,
technology
and
culture
were
also
discussed.
Both
sides
underscored
the
importance
they
attached
to
building
a
broad-based
relationship
marked
by
multifaceted
cooperation
in
different
fields.
Efforts
to
promote
global
nuclear
non-proliferation
and
disarmament
issues
and
counter-terrorism
capacity-building
also
figured
at
the
talks,
the
statement
added.
UNI