PM reaffirms EU ties, thanks Kallas for support for Gulf peace efforts
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Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Monday met the European Union’s (EU) top diplomat, Kaja Kallas, at the PM House, where he reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to cooperation with the EU and thanked EU leadership for its strong support for Pakistan’s peace efforts in the Gulf region. Kallas, who serves as vice-president of the European Commission and the EU high representative for foreign affairs and security policy (HR/VP), is visiting Pakistan at the invitation of Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar. According to a statement by the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), the premier said that Pakistan was keen to further strengthen its multifaceted partnership with the EU. Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar, Attorney General of Pakistan (AGP) Mansoor Usman Awan, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister (SAPM) Tariq Fatemi and other senior officials were also present, the statement said. PM Shehbaz expressed satisfaction at the eighth round of the EU-Pakistan Strategic Dialogue held earlier today. “The prime minister reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to enhancing cooperation with the EU in key areas including trade and investment, climate change, security, migration, sustainable development, and connectivity,” the statement said. In this regard, it added, he highlighted the important role of GSP+ in ensuring stronger trade ties between Pakistan and the EU. Discussions also focused on the regional and international situation, with the premier thanking the EU leadership for its strong support for Pakistan’s efforts for peace in the Middle East. He said that Dar and Chief of Defence Forces Asim Munir were playing a “crucial role” in these efforts. He especially called on the international community, including the EU, to work collectively to ensure lasting peace in the region, the PMO said. It added that he shared Pakistan’s perspective on the regional situation in South Asia, as well as on Afghanistan, with Kallas,