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A Brief Report about the Australian Foreign Minister Stephen Smith’s Visit to Pakistan

The Foreign Affairs Minister of Australia Stephen Smith has met Pakistani military commanders in the volatile border region with Afghanistan. Mr Smith flew to the north western city of Peshawar and the Khyber Pass before holding talks with his Pakistani counterpart Shah Mahmood Qureshi. The visit coincided with the signing of a deal between the Taliban and the Pakistani government to introduce Sharia law in the Swat Valley. During the visit, the Australian Foreign Minister held talks with Pakistani officials on the bilateral relations between the two countries and means of bolstering cooperation as well as the current developments at the regional and international arenas.

The Australian Minister while conveying his gratitude for the warm welcome accorded to him during his visit the first by an Australian Foreign Minister since 1998 - said that though both countries had long-standing friendly ties, a lot more could be done to improve them by paying particular attention to the cooperation in trade, economic, human development and social sector fields. He underlined his country’s strong support for democracy in Pakistan and stated that Australia had played its role and welcomed Pakistan in the Commonwealth’s fold after installation of the democratic government in Islamabad.

He assured the Prime Minister that Australia would stand shoulder to shoulder with Pakistan and would help it in any way possible to eradicate the menace of terrorism. He lauded Pakistan’s sincerity and its matured and restrained reaction to the situation which developed in the aftermath of Mumbai incident and hoped that after Pakistan’s response to the Indian dossier, both sides would revert back to the dialogue process in the larger interest of peace and stability in the region. The Australian Foreign Minister announced that his government would substantially increase its development assistance for Pakistan particularly in the areas of education, mother and child care programmes, agriculture and humanitarian fields. He agreed with the Prime Minister on the need for more high-level exchanges and increased people to people contacts between the two countries. He noted that around 5,000 Pakistani students were presently studying in Australian educational institutions and his own constituency had the third largest concentration of Pakistanis in Australia. Australian Foreign Minister also held talks with Pakistan’s Army Chief General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani, Minister of State for Finance, Hina Rabbani Khar & Advisor of Interior Ministry Rehman Malik.

President Zardari calls for increased cooperation between Pakistan & Australia

President Asif Ali Zardari emphasised the need to further broaden areas of cooperation between Pakistan and Australia. Foreign Minister of Australia Stephen Smith, who is on an official visit to Pakistan, called on President Asif Ali Zardari at Islamabad

  Welcoming the Australian Foreign Minister, the President said that Pakistan gives great importance to its relations with Asia-Pacific countries. Australia has been a friend and is extending valuable development assistance to Pakistan. The President said the government has embarked on plans to providing socio-economic benefits to the people and in this endeavour Pakistan needed the support and understanding of the international community.

The President said his government remains resolute to fight terrorism and extremism. The Foreign Minister said that Australia values its relations with Pakistan. He said Australia supported democracy and democratic government’s efforts in meeting economic and security challenges.He conveyed that Australia will substantially enhance its economic assistance to Pakistan focusing especially on agriculture, health, education and child care.  He also appreciated Pakistan’s role in the fight against terrorism and extremism and towards promoting regional peace and stability.

Pakistan wants to strengthen multi-faceted ties with Australia: PM Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani

Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani on Tuesday said Pakistan intends to reinvigorate its existing cordial multifaceted ties with Australia through enhanced trade, investment, social sector and capacity-building cooperation between the two countries. The Prime Minister stated this in his meeting with Australian Foreign Minister Stephen Smith, who called on him at the PM House this afternoon.

Gilani thanked the Australian foreign minister for the offer of assistance to train Pakistani personnel in countering terrorism and for increased development assistance in education, health, agriculture and vocational training. The Prime Minister urged the Australian Government to consider granting Pakistan its Generalized Preferential System (GPS) facility. He said the GPS facility would not only help in bridging the widening trade gap between the two countries, but also enable Pakistan to generate new employment opportunities.

The Prime Minister expressed his satisfaction over the growing coordination between the two governments in the fields of counter-terrorism and cooperation in defence fields. He hoped that both sides would take concerted efforts to expand similar cooperation in areas of livestock, dairy industry, irrigation and restoration of salinity affected agricultural land. The Prime Minister apprised the Australian Foreign Minister of his government’s strategy of dialogue, development and deterrence in its struggle against militancy, and the measures taken by his government to isolate militants from the peace-loving tribesmen.

He also informed the Australian Foreign Minister of the actions taken by Pakistan after having received the dossier on Mumbai incident from India. He re-affirmed his government’s determination that Pakistan’s would not allow its soil to be used against any other country. The Prime Minister stated that Pakistan remains committed for pursuing friendly relations with all its neighbors including India and hence wanted to return to composite dialogue process with India as soon as possible.

The Australian Foreign Minister said though both countries had long standing friendly ties, a lot more could be done to improve them by paying particular attention to the cooperation in trade, economic, human development and social sector fields.
Stephen Smith underlined his country’s strong support for democracy in Pakistan, and stated that Australia had played its role and had welcomed Pakistan back in the Commonwealth’s fold after installation of the democratic government in Islamabad.
He assured the Prime Minister that Australia would stand shoulder to shoulder with Pakistan and will help it in any way possible to eradicate the menace of terrorism.

He lauded Pakistan’s sincerity and its matured and restrained reaction to the situation which developed in the aftermath of Mumbai incident and hoped that after Pakistan’s response to the Indian dossier, both sides would revert back to the dialogue process in the larger interest of peace and stability in the region.

The Australian Foreign Minister announced that his government would substantially increase its development assistance for Pakistan particularly in the areas of education, mother and child care programs, agriculture and humanitarian fields.
He agreed with the Prime Minister on the need for more high level exchanges and increased people to people contacts between the two countries. He noted that around 5000 Pakistani students are presently studying in Australian educational institutions and his own constituency had the third largest concentration of Pakistanis in Australia.