PAKISTAN: Pakistan and Hungary agree to upgrade economic co-operation

Pakistan and Hungary on Tuesday (November 7) agreed to strengthen bilateral relations between the two countries and boost co-operation, particularly in the fields of trade and economic growth. Hungarian foreign minister, Dr. Kinga Goncz, who is on an official visit to Pakistan, told reporters that she and her Pakistani counterpart Khursheed Mehmood Kasuri had discussed the need for enhanced market access for Pakistan to the European Union, and the operating of the Third Generation Agreement (TGA) between Pakistan and the EU. Kasuri while welcoming Goncz, said her visit had provided an excellent opportunity for reviewing bilateral relations. "I welcome foreign minister Kinga Goncz. Her visit is the first ever by a Hungarian foreign minister to Pakistan, which has provided us an excellent opportunity for renewing bilateral relations, with a view to enhancing co-operation in a range of areas particularly trade and commerce. We also discussed international issues of mutual interest including Pakistan-India relations and the composite dialogue, Afghanistan, Iran, Iraq, Middle East and UN reform," Kasuri said. He thanked the Hungarian government for the support provided following the country's earthquake last year, especially the medical teams who had helped the quake-stricken people. Goncz, appreciating Pakistan's strategic location, praised the government for supporting peace and stability in the region. "And there is a growing economic relation between Pakistan and Hungary and I think both countries have a strategic position. Pakistan is in a very important position here in the region, and Hungary, since we are an EU member state (for) a little more than two and half years, and being part of the middle of the European Union, we also have a strategic position. And we hope that we can use each other's strategic position quite well for the interest of both countries," she said. Hungary has contributed troops to ISAF peacekeeping operations and Provincial Reconstruction Teams (PRTs) in Afghanistan. Kasuri said both the ministers agreed that a stable, peaceful and prosperous Afghanistan is in vital to the countries in the region and the world at large. Replying to a question, Goncz said Hungary was against nuclear proliferation but peaceful use of nuclear energy was the right of every country. She said both foreign ministers would continue their talks on cooperation of civil nuclear technology at their next meeting in Vienna. Goncz is scheduled to meet the Senate Chairman and Speaker of the National Assembly during her stay in Pakistan.

ITN Source | November 8, 2006

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