Nawaz Sharif accepts invitation to visit Minsk; meets with Vietnamese, Ethiopian counterparts
BEIJING: Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif and President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko met here Sunday on the sidelines of One Belt, One Road Forum and discussed ways to further strengthen bilateral ties.
The two leaders focused on increasing trade between Pakistan and Belarus and emphasised on exploring investment potential in various fields, particularly in the agriculture, culture and education sectors.
Both leaders also focused on regional connectivity and its importance in bringing improvement to the lives of common people.
Recalling his trip to Belarus last year, Sharif expressed satisfaction that the relationship between the two countries had strengthened in a short span of time.
President Lukashenko extended another invitation to the prime minister to visit Belarus, which was accepted by the premier.
Pakistan's Ambassador to China Khalid Masood and senior government officials were also present in the meeting.
On the sidelines of the forum, the Pakistani prime minister also met with his Vietnamese and Ethiopian counterparts.
At his meeting with Vietnam President Tran Dai Quang, Sharif said Pakistan considered Vietnam an important country of the region and desires to maintain an economic and political relationship with it.
He stressed the need for the two countries to strengthen and explore their business and investment opportunities.
Sharif also expressed satisfaction over the bilateral political consultation and working of the joint ministerial commission and joint trade commission between the two countries.
The prime minister also invited the Vietnamese president to visit Pakistan which he accepted.
At the meeting with Ethiopian Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn, in which State IT Minister Anusha Rehman was also present, matters of mutual interests and bilateral issues came under discussion.
Sharif emphasised to enhance the relations further by promoting cooperation between the two countries in multiple spheres.