Italian Foreign Minister Luigi Di Maio meets his Pakistani counterpart as well as PM Imran Khan in Islamabad
Foreign Minister of Italy Luigi Di Maio met Foreign Minister Makhdoom Shah Mahmood Qureshi on September 6 to discuss the latest developments in Afghanistan and bilateral relations.
Foreign Minister Qureshi shared Pakistan’s perspective on the evolving situation in Afghanistan and stressed the importance of a peaceful and stable Afghanistan for Pakistan and the region, the Foreign Minister highlighted Pakistan’s efforts for regional peace, security and stability.
FM Qureshi underlined that it was vital to support the Afghan people at this critical juncture. He emphasized the importance of stabilizing the security situation in Afghanistan, preserving the peace, and preventing any mass exodus of Afghans as refugees.
He underscored the need for the international community to enhance engagement with Afghanistan with positive messaging and through constructive actions. In particular, he emphasized the imperatives of addressing the urgent humanitarian needs and ensuring the economic stability of Afghanistan.
In the bilateral context, Foreign Minister Qureshi underlined the importance Pakistan attached to its relationship with Italy and affirmed the desire to further expand mutual cooperation in all fields. The Foreign Minister also expressed satisfaction at close cooperation between the two countries in the multilateral fora, including the EU and the UN. Italy is home to one of the largest Pakistani diasporas in Europe.
Foreign Minister Luigi Di Maio thanked Pakistan for supporting Italy’s evacuation efforts and also noted the important role of Pakistan in support of efforts for regional peace and stability. He also expressed Italy’s resolve to strengthen bilateral cooperation in diverse sectors including trade, investments, energy, higher education and people-to-people exchanges.
He also visited the Pakistan-Afghanistan border to assess how the Pakistan Army is managing the inflow of civilians from Afghanistan and possible impact if there is a humanitarian and economic crisis in the neighbouring country. Di Maio urged that it is important for the international community to help those who are in Afghanistan to prevent any further crisis.
The Italian foriegn minister also called on Prime Minister Imran Khan to exchange views on Afghanistan and bilateral matters. Khan stressed that the international community must stand in solidarity with the Afghan people, undertake positive engagement, and create incentives for ensuring sustainable peace, stability and economic development in Afghanistan.
PM Imran Khan also stated that Italy was a vital partner for Pakistan and stressed the importance of enhanced collaboration in diverse areas, including trade and investments, defence, and people-to-people contacts