Islamabad:
President Asif Ali Zardari said on Tuesday that Pakistan and Russia had enormous potential should be exploited to extend bilateral partnership in the trade, investment, technology and people’s exchanges.
The President made these remarks as a chief of chief during the special ceremony celebrating the 35th national day of the Russian Federation held in the Federal Capital.
The governor of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, Faisal, Karim Kundi, Special Assistant of the Prime Minister (SAPM) Tariq Fatemi and members of the diplomatic corps attended the event.
The president said that Pakistan considers Russia as an important world power which has been a key player to ensure regional peace and stability, especially in the Eurasian region.
President Zardari has extended his sincere congratulations to the president of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin, ambassador of the Russian Federation Albert Khorev as well as to the people of Russia.
“On this important occasion, Pakistan joins Russia to celebrate this national day, reflecting our solidarity and our friendship. I am happy to say that our bilateral relations have improved over the years, according to mutual respect, cooperation and shared interests in various fields,” said the president.
He said there had been many high -level interactions between the two countries that had laid the foundations for deeper commitment and understanding. Pakistan and Russia also continue to cooperate closely on regional and international platforms, he added.
The president stressed that SAPM Tariq Fatemi had a promising meeting with the Russian Minister of Foreign Affairs in Moscow at the beginning of the month when the two parties had stressed the importance of peace and stability in the region.
“I am convinced that the bonds of friendship between Pakistan and Russia will continue to strengthen. While we are celebrating this important opportunity this evening, let us reaffirm our commitment to build bridges of understanding and cooperation between our two nations. Take the opportunities that await us and work together for a more bright and more prosperous future.
Earlier, in his welcome speech, ambassador Khorev stressed that Russia remains a sovereign, powerful and resilient nation, motivated by the unwavering support of his people. By reflecting on the words of President Putin, the ambassador noted that Russia had historically played a unifying role in the region, extending “Balts in the Caucasus”.
Stressing regular progress in Pak-Russia relations, Ambassador Khorev said that bilateral cooperation is progressing at a satisfactory rate in various sectors.
He expressed his appreciation for the growing interest of Pakistan for the Russian language and culture.
“We congratulate Pakistani enthusiasm to learn the Russian language,” he said. “The Russian mission actively supports the establishment and expansion of language learning institutions across the country.”
The ambassador has also reaffirmed the continuous support of Russia to Pakistan on various international platforms, noting that the two nations work together to deepen the links of education, diplomacy and mutual development.
The event ended with the performance of the Russian musician on folk music.
