MOSCOW, June 12. /TASS/. Russia and Pakistan are actively cooperating in various sectors, including bilateral trade and agreements on a cooperation project in the energy sector, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said in his video message on the occasion of the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the countries.
"It is encouraging that over the recent years we have succeeded in making significant progress in bilateral trade. Russia has become a major supplier of wheat to Pakistan, with shipments exceeding one million tons last year. Negotiations on launching a cooperation project in the oil sector are at their final stage," the minister said.
"We are willing to work together on further engagement of our countries and peoples, strengthening mutually beneficial relations in politics, security, economy, education, in cultural and humanitarian fields as well as in other areas," Lavrov said.
Representatives from the governments of Pakistan and Russia struck a conceptual agreement in January on the delivery of Russian oil and agreed to work together before settling on logistics, insurance, payment, and export amounts. Pakistan anticipates Russian imports to meet up to 35% of its future oil demands.
"We attach great importance to further constructive cooperation with your country in international fora. We highly appreciate Pakistan's contribution to the activities of the United Nations and its specialized agencies. We welcome Islamabad's active involvement in joint work within the SCO as a full member of this Organization, which plays an important role in establishing multilateral cooperation in Greater Eurasia. We consider the Islamic Republic of Pakistan to be a key international partner in the joint efforts to combat common security challenges and threats, including transborder crime and terrorism," Lavrov said.
The minister noted that the relations between the two countries are based on trust. "They are founded on the concurrence or proximity of approaches to the key issues of the international agenda. Together with our Pakistani partners, we stand for shaping a more just and democratic multipolar world order. We respect the cultural and civilizational diversity of peoples and their right to determine the avenues of their political, social and economic development themselves. I would like to note that Russia's vision of the world order and our understanding of traditional moral values is in harmony with the principles of faith, unity and discipline formulated by the Father of the Pakistani people Muhammad Ali Jinnah. It is on these pillars that the statehood of modern Pakistan is based," Lavrov stressed.