Turkey wishes to see peaceful solution to Kashmir issue: Turkish FM

ISLAMABAD: Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi and his Turkish counterpart Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu on Monday vowed to further improve strategic, trade and cultural ties between the two countries.

Speaking to media alongside the visiting dignitary, Shah Mehmood Qureshi said Pakistan has longstanding friendly ties with Turkey, which always extended a helping hand to Pakistan in its testing time.

He said, he and Turkish Foreign Minister discussed different issues of mutual interest during delegation-level talks, including the ones related to enhancing mutual trade, his upcoming visit to Kabul, ties with Iran and the Kashmir dispute.

Pak-Turk delegation level talks – Both countries are tied in inseparable bonds of people to people affection based on common faith & objectives and shared destinies as members of Islamic world. Both countries pledged to continue partnership for regional peace and stability. pic.twitter.com/4F4jzOZC1y

— Dr Mohammad Faisal (@ForeignOfficePk) September 14, 2018

The FM said a conference with regard to the Kashmir issue would take place on the sidelines of the upcoming United Nation session and that he has extended invitation to Turkish minister to attend the same, which he has accepted.

He said it would be an important conference to talk about the issue of Kashmir as the UN report has also made mention of the atrocities being faced by the people of the disputed region.

Qureshi said Turkey would support Pakistan in striking its name off the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) watch-list with regard to terror financing and money-laundering.

He said he has no words to express gratitude to the brotherly country for supporting Pakistan’s stance on the issue of blasphemous caricatures.

The FM said he and his Turkish counterpart talked about benefiting from each other’s experience. “We wished to undertake a programme under which the youth of Turkey visit Pakistan and vice versa in order to exchange ideas.”

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu expressed happiness over his visit to Islamabad especially after the formation of new government here, saying the Turkish people deem Pakistan their second home.

He felicitated the PTI government on assuming power. Pak-Turk friendship is rooted in public, which is why it hasn’t changed over time, and added that the friendship is not confined to the governments of the two countries.

“Our talks centered on strategic relations between the two countries,” the FM said and vowed to encourage Turkish investors for investment in Pakistan.

Mr Çavuşoğlu said his country would benefit from Pakistan’s progress and added a meeting of the Pakistan and Turkey Working Group would also be held soon in Islamabad.

He said Pakistan and Turkey gave sacrifices in war on terror while the former played a role at the front line against terrorism.

The minister vowed to further improve trade and cultural ties with Pakistan.

He said both the countries would not let any conspiracy against Islam succeed.

He said his country would raise voice against atrocities being perpetuated against Kashmiris at every international forum. He said he desired to see a peaceful solution to the Kashmir issue which involved Pakistan and India.

The minister said his country was striving to bring peace to Syria and that it is imperative to stop terrorism there.