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Belarus’ defense ministry expects to strengthen cooperation with Pakistan significantly

The ministers agreed to meet soon at an SCO event in China to discuss preliminary results of the agreements

MINSK, June 4. /TASS/. Belarus aims to intensify and broaden military cooperation with Pakistan soon, Defense Minister Viktor Khrenin told his counterpart Khawaja Asif during an official visit to Pakistan.

"I am confident that the active position of both sides on the development of bilateral military cooperation will significantly deepen and broaden it in the near future," the Defense Ministry’s press service quoted Khrenin as saying on Telegram.

Asif said Pakistan has been a major peacekeeping participant for many years and is ready to cooperate in this area.

"And if Pakistan is involved in missions, we are always ready to share our expertise with you," he said, adding he would be happy to pay an official visit to Belarus.

The ministers agreed to meet soon at an SCO event in China to discuss preliminary results of the agreements.

According to the press service, military relations, their state and directions of development were reviewed. The ministers discussed cooperation between the automotive industry of Belarus and the Pakistani economy and the establishment of air links between the two countries. The parties also touched upon bilateral cooperation in the framework of personnel training and education.

Khrenin discussed the expansion of military contacts with Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.

"We look forward to further expanding military contacts. I believe that both the Pakistani and the Belarusian sides have expertise and skills that are of mutual interest," the press service quoted Khrenin as saying.

The minister thanked the host country "for training Belarusian military personnel in peacekeeping courses of various kinds at the Center for International Peace and Stability of the National University of Sciences and Technology of Pakistan."

Sharif reportedly noted that Pakistan is open to developing all areas of cooperation with Belarus of mutual interest, and emphasized the importance of peace initiatives for his country.

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