Govt’s ‘Vision Central Asia’ aimed at building sustainable engagement with CARs: FM

ISLAMABAD, Aug 18 (NNI): Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari on Thursday reiterated that the government’s “Vision Central Asia” was aimed at building sustainable and result-oriented engagement with the Central Asian Countries (CARs). The vision focused on political, trade and investment, energy and connectivity, security and defence, and people-to-people exchanges, he added. The Foreign Minister expressed these views as he received Artykbaev Aibek Muhtarovich, Deputy Foreign Minister of the Kyrgyz Republic here.
He added that short and easy access to the sea for land-locked Central Asian States through Karachi and Gwadar ports was a key component of that vision.
The two sides exchanged greetings on the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Pakistan and the Kyrgyz Republic, a press release issued here by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said.
The Foreign Minister congratulated Deputy Foreign Minister Muhtarovich on the successful conclusion of the 2nd Session of Bilateral Political Consultations (BPC) between Pakistan and the Kyrgyz Republic.
Expressing satisfaction at the upward trajectory of bilateral relations, he said that close coordination between the two countries at multilateral fora demonstrated the convergence of views on global and regional issues. NNI