FM Qureshi departs for Germany on two-day official visit

ISLAMABAD: Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi departed on Sunday for Germany on a two-day official visit on the invitation of his German counterpart Heiko Maas.

In a statement before his departure, FM Qureshi said Pakistan enjoys cordial relations with Germany.

Terming Germany as Pakistan’s most important trading partner in European Union (EU), he said matters related to economic relations, bilateral trade, investment, defense and people to people contacts will come into discussion during the visit.

The foreign minister said that he will apprise German leadership about regional situation, Afghan peace process and peace and security environment of South Asia, expressing confidence that the visit will be fruitful.

He is visiting Germany on the invitation of his German counterpart Heiko Maas to hold delegation-level talks with the German leadership including President of the German Parliament Wolfgang Schauble and other dignitaries.

During the talks, the two sides would review the entire gamut of Pakistan-Germany relations and discuss ways and means to further deepen bilateral cooperation in diverse fields, — including trade, investment, health, security and defence, education, tourism, and people-to-people exchanges, the Foreign Office said in a statement.

“This year, Pakistan and Germany will be celebrating the 70th anniversary of establishment of diplomatic relations, ” the statement read. “Both countries are planning to undertake a number of activities in this context.”

Pakistan and Germany have been collaborating closely on regional matters and at the multilateral fora. Germany is the largest trading partner of Pakistan in the EU. Germany is also home to more than 100,000 Pakistani diaspora.