Pakistan, Turkiye agree to increase bilateral trade to $5bn
- By Web Desk -
- Mar 21, 2024
ISLAMABAD: Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar Thursday met Minister of Foreign Affairs of Türkiye Hakan Fidan on the sidelines of the Nuclear Energy Summit 2024 in Brussels.
The ministers reviewed Pakistan-Turkiye ties and noted with satisfaction the upward trajectory in bilateral relations in all domains. They reaffirmed the commitment to further enhance bilateral trade and increase it to five billion dollars.
The two ministers also agreed to further enhance defence and strategic cooperation and to enhance cooperation in all peaceful uses of nuclear technology.
Foreign Minister Dar reiterated Pakistan’s readiness to share experience and expertise in nuclear energy and applications.
Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar said that Pakistan has extensive experience in the safe operation of nuclear power plants and is ready to share its experience for peaceful purposes of nuclear technology, ARY News reported.
Addressing the first Nuclear Security Summit in Brussels, the foreign minister said Pakistan has 100 reactor-years’ experience in safely operating nuclear power plants as Pakistan’s first nuclear power plant was built in Karachi in 1960.
Ishaq Dar said that currently, six nuclear power plants are working in Pakistan, adding that given the domestic energy demand, the nuclear power sector is being preferred.
“At this time, the world needs affordable energy and environmentally friendly and cheap nuclear energy is the best option for the needs,” the foreign minister said.
He said that Pakistan is ready to share its experiences for peaceful purposes of nuclear power,” the foreign minister added.
Ishaq Dar said that sustainable measures are indispensable for solving energy issues. He said that Pakistan values partnership with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), hoping to extend cooperation with it.
“We have three IAEA collaborating centers for nuclear safety and security, food and agriculture, and Applications of Innovative Nuclear Technologies. We wish to further enhance our cooperation on initiatives of DG IAEA including ‘Atoms4NetZero’, ‘Atoms4Food’, ‘Rays of Hope’, ‘Zodiac’, ‘NUTEC Plastics’ and ‘Marie Curie fellowships’,” Ishaq Dar added.
The foreign minister said that the summit is in place in times of rising energy demands and associated supply-side challenges triggered by wars, contestations, and climate change concerns. “For both developed and developing countries, energy security is a top priority,” he added.