By Pervaiz Mughal
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and Venezuela have agreed to enhance economic cooperation and strengthen people-to-people contacts for the mutual benefit of the two countries.
The understanding was reached during a telephonic conversation between Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar and Venezuela’s newly appointed Minister of Foreign Relations and Foreign Trade Félix Plasencia.
During the talks, the two ministers exchanged views on the longstanding friendly relations between Pakistan and Venezuela and reaffirmed their commitment to further strengthening bilateral ties.
They discussed opportunities to expand cooperation in various sectors, including trade, investment, business, agriculture, information technology and other areas of mutual interest. Both sides appreciated the continued coordination between Pakistan and Venezuela at multilateral forums on issues of common concern.
Ishaq Dar congratulated Félix Plasencia on his appointment as Venezuela’s foreign minister and conveyed Pakistan’s heartfelt condolences over the devastating earthquakes that recently struck the country. He reaffirmed Pakistan’s solidarity with the government and people of Venezuela during the difficult period and expressed confidence in their resilience and recovery efforts.
The Venezuelan minister thanked Ishaq Dar for Pakistan’s message of sympathy and support, appreciating the country’s humanitarian solidarity with victims of natural disasters. He stressed the importance of mutual assistance and cooperation during times of crisis.
Félix Plasencia also acknowledged Pakistan’s constructive role in promoting dialogue and de-escalation in the regional situation involving the United States and Iran, praising its commitment to peace and diplomacy. The two ministers agreed to remain in close contact and hold a meeting at the earliest suitable opportunity.
