Pakistan is a ‘major regional power’, says EU’s top diplomat

EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs Kaja Kallas on Monday said Pakistan is a major regional power and an important partner for the European Union.

The EU official arrived in Islamabad where she held talks with Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar during the 8th session of Pakistan-EU strategic dialogue to transform ties into a mutually beneficial partnership.

In a joint press conference after the meeting, Ms Kallas said said Pakistan is a major regional power and an important partner for the European Union.

Recognizing Pakistan as the main mediator between the United States and Iran, she said its diplomatic efforts have helped to prevent a return to full-blown war on several occasions. She said these efforts are recognized and appreciated across Europe.

She said both sides reaffirmed our shared commitment to strengthening EU-Pakistan ties even further, emphasizing that on trade, in particular, there is already a strong momentum.

She said the European Union remains Pakistan’s largest export destination, and it is the world’s leading beneficiary of European Union trade preferences, the GSP+.

Kaja Kallas said both sides are deepening cooperation on a wide range of issues including climate resilience, digital infrastructure, clean energy, migration, and mobility. She said people to-people links are also an important part of our partnership.

In his remarks, Dar said the two sides reviewed the progress on cooperation under the various sectors of Pakistan-EU Strategic Engagement Plan 2019, focusing on further enhancing bilateral trade and investment ties between EU and Pakistan.

He said the EU is amongst Pakistan’s major trade partners, with a trade volume of around 12 billion Euros, adding that Pakistan remains committed to constructive engagement with EU and its member states.

He said the two sides also held an in-depth exchange of views on regional and global issues, including the US-Iran conflict, security situation in South Asia, Afghanistan, Europe and the Middle East.

He said Pakistan will continue to work towards finding a comprehensive and lasting solution to the US-Iran conflict.