Pakistan committed to Saarc principles: Kh Asif

ISLAMABAD: Foreign Minister Khawaja Asif on Friday participated in the informal meeting of the Council of Ministers of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (Saarc) held in New York on the sidelines of the General Assembly session, foreign office said here.

The meeting was hosted and chaired by the Foreign Minister of Nepal and was attended by the Foreign Ministers of the Saarc member states. In his remarks, the Foreign Minister Khawaja Asif reiterated Pakistan's full commitment to Saarc's principles and objectives and highlighted the Organisation's potential in promoting progress and prosperity in South Asia through enhanced regional integration.

He also stressed that Pakistan considered Saarc an important platform for organising a collective response to regional challenges, particularly the region's development needs. Pakistan wanted Saarc to utilise the full potential of the region and called for constructive engagement towards this end. 

Meanwhile Foreign Minister Khawaja Asif and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov discussed mutual efforts for strengthening of Pakistan-Russia relations and the prevailing international and regional security situation.

In a meeting with Russian Foreign Minister on the sidelines of the 72nd UNGA session in New York on Friday, Khawaja Asif expressed Pakistan's desire for deepening mutually beneficial cooperation with Russia in diverse fields, emphasizing the need for promoting trade and economic cooperation.