Islamabad:
President Asif Ali Zardari said Pakistan and Russia have “enormous potential” to be exploited to expand bilateral cooperation in trade, investment, technology and people-to-human exchanges.
He made these remarks while talking about a ceremony held in Islamabad on Tuesday to mark the 35th national day in the Russian Federation.
“On this significant apartment, Pakistan ends up to Russia by celebrating this national day, reflecting our solidarity and friendship,” said President Zardari. “I am pleased to state that our bilateral connections have improved over the years, based on mutual respect, cooperation and common interests in different areas.”
He expanded the warm congratulations to Russian President Vladimir Putin, Ambassador Albert Khorev and the people of Russia. The ceremony began with the national hymns in both countries, solemnly observed by the participants.
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President Zardari said Pakistan considers Russia an important global power and a key player to promote peace and stability in the Eurasian region.
He highlighted the recent high -level exchanges between Islamabad and Moscow and described them as laying the basis for deeper commitment. “Pakistan and Russia are also continuing to work closely on regional and international platforms,” he added.
Referring to the recent diplomatic outreach said the president: “Special assistant to the Prime Minister, Tariq Fatemi, had a very promising meeting with the Russian Foreign Minister in Moscow early this month, where both sides had emphasized the importance of peace and stability in the region.”
The president expressed optimism about the future of bilateral ties, saying, “I am convinced that the bond of friendship between Pakistan and Russia will continue to strengthen. When we celebrate this important apartment tonight, let us confirm our commitment to building bridges for understanding and cooperation between our two nations. Let’s seize the opportunities that lie ahead and work together for a broader and more life.
Earlier, in his welcome address, Russian Ambassador Albert Khorev said Russia remained a sovereign, powerful and elastic nation, “driven by the unwavering support of its people.”
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The ambassador quoted President Vladimir Putin and said that Russia had historically played a unifying role in the region and stretched “from Baltics to the Caucasus.”
He noticed the “satisfactory pace” in Pak-Russia bilateral cooperation across several sectors and valued Pakistan’s growing interest in Russian culture and language.
“We praise Pakistani enthusiasm for learning the Russian language,” he said. “The Russian mission actively supports the establishment and expansion of language learning institutions across the country.”
Ambassador Khorev confirmed Russia’s support to Pakistan on various international platforms and expressed a desire to elaborate on the tape in education, diplomacy and mutual development.
The ceremony ended with a musical performance by a Russian folk artist.
