ISLAMABAD: Russian Foreign Minister, Sergey Lavrov will arrive in Pakistan today (Tuesday) on a two-day official, according to Foreign Ministry.
With the Afghan situation on top of the agenda, Russian FM and Pakistani counterpart Shah Mahmood Qureshi will also discuss bilateral ties, including economic cooperation and counterterrorism and socio-economic ramifications of the COVID-19 pandemic.
This will be the first visit of a Russian foreign minister to Pakistan since 2012. Besides holding delegation-level talks with his Pakistani counterpart, the Russian FM will also call on Prime Minister Imran Khan and have interaction with other dignitaries.
The Foreign Ministry in its statement said the Russian official’s visit is part of the growing interaction and regular high-level exchanges between the two nations.
“The visit of Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov will contribute to further deepening of the multifaceted bilateral relationship and enhancing mutual understanding on regional and global issues,” it added.
The foreign ministry’s statement further said, “The two countries enjoy friendly and cooperative relations based on mutual respect, trust and understanding.”
Russia recently hosted a conference of Pakistan, the United States, China and representatives from the Afghan government and the Taliban as part of its efforts to break the stalemate in the ongoing Afghan peace process.
Russia, like Pakistan, China and Iran, is concerned that the US withdrawal from Afghanistan without a prior peace deal could jeopardise regional security.
