Foreign Minister Makhdoom Shah Mahmood Qureshion Wednesday conveyed to EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs Josep Borrell Pakistan’s concern regarding unwarranted and negative references to it in a a recent resolution of the EU Parliament on Afghanistan.
According to a statement by the Foreign Office, Qureshi met with Borrell on the sidelines of UN General Assembly in New York today.
Qureshi stressed that Afghanistan was at a “crossroads” and that a peaceful and stable Afghanistan was of “crucial importance for Pakistan and the region”.
He called for “sustained and positive engagement of the international community, particularly of the EU, for supporting stability and socio-economic development in Afghanistan”, said the statement.
The foreign minister emphasized that the international community must engage actively – with positive messaging and constructive steps – and accord urgent priority to the imperative of addressing the humanitarian needs of the Afghan people and preventing economic meltdown. Qureshi also met Foreign Minister of Portugal Augusto Santos Silva on the margins of the 76th session of the United Nations General Assembly, a press release said.
Views were exchanged on bilateral, regional and international developments as well as on cooperation between the two countries at the UN.
Qureshi shared with his Portuguese counterpart the comprehensive dossier containing evidence of India’s human rights violations; war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide; false flag operations; and illegal attempts to bring about a demographic change in IIOJK in defiance of UN Security Council resolutions and international humanitarian law.
The foreign minister underscored Pakistan’s desire to further strengthen its engagement with Portugal, especially in economic and trade spheres.
He expressed satisfaction at the parliamentary friendship groups that had been established in the respective Parliaments and called for the need to fully activate them for enhanced cooperation and people-to-people contacts.
Qureshi highlighted Pakistan’s efforts in facilitating evacuation of diplomatic personnel and staff of international organizations from Afghanistan.
Earlier, Qureshi said that Pakistan highly valued its relations with Ireland, bilaterally as well as in the context of the United Nations and the European Union. Foreign minister met with his Irish counterpart Simon Coveney on the sidelines of the 76th UN General Assembly session.
The two foreign ministers exchanged views on the latest developments in Afghanistan, bilateral relations, as well as cooperation in the UN, a press release said. Foreign minister Qureshi congratulated his Irish counterpart on the successful conduct of Ireland’s Presidency of the UN Security Council for the month of September.
