ISLAMABAD: Adviser to the Prime Minister on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz met Egypt’s Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry and King Faisal Foundations and Saudi Arabia’s Centre for Research and Islamic Studies Chairman Prince Turki Al Fasial, Foreign Office said on Sunday.
Sartaj Aziz held bilateral meetings with Shoukry and the Saudi prince in Bahrain’s capital city of Manama – on the side-lines of ‘Manama Security Dialogue – 12th Regional Security Summit’.
Both the representatives of Pakistan and Egypt agreed to revitalise ties in economic, trade and investment sectors – for the mutual benefit of the two countries. It was decided to convene the Joint Ministerial Commission (JMC) at an early date in Islamabad to undertake a comprehensive overview of the on-going cooperation and decide the future directions.
The two sides welcomed the outcome of Bilateral Political Consultations held in Cairo earlier this May – which provided a useful mechanism of consultations to closely coordinate respective positions on regional and international issues.
They also discussed the situation in the Middle East and the global threats faced by the Islamic community from the evil forces of sectarianism, terrorism and extremism. Shoukry praised Pakistan’s counter-terrorism efforts and agreed to support each other’s candidatures for various UN bodies.
Later, Aziz met with Prince Turki Al Fasial and being an old friend of Pakistan, he recalled his fond visits and interactions with the Pakistani leadership. Aziz proposed joint programmes between King Faisal Foundation and Pakistani universities in the field of de-radicalisation – which was welcomed.
