Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. file | Photo Credit: Reuters
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Russia is keen to expand and deepen bilateral ties with Pakistan as the first consignment of subsidized Russian oil arrived at Karachi port over the weekend.
Mr Lavrov made the remarks in a video message on the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Moscow and Islamabad. Express Tribune Newspaper reported.
He said Russia views Pakistan as a “key international partner in joint efforts to address common security challenges and threats, including cross-border crime and terrorism”. Pakistan on Monday started transporting much-awaited subsidized Russian crude oil to a refinery here. country facing cash crunch The port city, a development that is likely to provide relief to those affected by skyrocketing inflation.
The first shipment of subsidized Russian crude arrived in Karachi on Sunday after an agreement was signed between Islamabad and Moscow in April.
“We are aware of the great interest and respect of the Pakistani people towards Russia and President Vladimir Putin. We greatly appreciate this,” the Russian foreign minister said in a statement.
He said that in the last three-quarters of a century, there have been different periods in bilateral relations. However, he said, Russia has always been interested in enhancing cooperation with Pakistan and has not abandoned its commitments under any circumstances.
“The involvement of Soviet experts in the construction of the largest steel mill in Karachi (now called Pakistan Steel Mill) in the 1980s, despite the conflict in Afghanistan at the time, is clear evidence of this. The Guddu Thermal Power Plant, which at that time The largest in your country was also commissioned at that time,” according to Mr. Lavrov.
“Today, our relations are advanced and based on trust. They are based on convergence or convergence of approaches on key issues on the international agenda. Together with our Pakistani partners, we stand to shape a more just and democratic multipolar world order .
“We respect the cultural and civilizational diversity of peoples and their right to determine for themselves the path of their political, social and economic development. I would like to note that Russia’s vision of the world order and our understanding of traditional moral values are in common with the Pakistani people. It is in line with the principles of faith, unity and discipline propounded by Muhammad Ali Jinnah, the father of Pakistan. These are the pillars on which the statehood of modern Pakistan rests,” Mr. Lavrov said.
He said that Russia attaches great importance to constructive cooperation with Pakistan in international fora.
“We greatly appreciate Pakistan’s contribution to the activities of the United Nations and its specialized agencies. We welcome Islamabad’s active participation in joint work within the SCO as a full member of this organization, which plays an important role in building multilateral cooperation in Greater Eurasia.
“It is encouraging that in recent years, we have been able to make significant progress in bilateral trade. Russia has become a major supplier of wheat to Pakistan, with shipments of over one million tonnes last year. Negotiations on starting a cooperation project are in their final stages.
He said that Russia is keen to work closely with Pakistan and its people to strengthen mutually beneficial ties in the political, security, economy, education, cultural and humanitarian fields as well as other areas.
He concluded the video by chanting “Pakistan-Russi Dosti Zindabad”. Pakistan and Russia remain bitter Cold War rivals, but their bilateral ties have taken a positive turn in recent years, with both sides willing to bury the past and adjust to new realities. Both countries are trying to translate their years of quiet diplomacy into tangible results.
The first consignment is part of a pilot project to assess whether Russian oil could be beneficial to Pakistan. Pakistan, which is currently grappling with high foreign debt and weak local currency, is hoping that the reduction in subsidized crude oil prices from Russia will stabilize oil prices in the country.
Energy accounts for the largest share of Pakistan’s imports, and cheaper oil from Russia will help Pakistan control a growing trade deficit and balance of payments crisis.
Pakistan’s inflation rate rose to 38% in April from a record high of 36.4% in May, according to central bank data.
Last year’s devastating floods submerged one-third of the countryDisplaced over 33 million and caused an economic loss of $12.5 billion to Pakistan’s already faltering economy.