ISLAMABAD – Pakistan yesterday mentioned humanity should be the primary precedence because the world fights the lethal coronavirus. {Foreign Minister} Shah Mehmood Qureshi spoke to French, Spanish and Bangladeshi counterparts to debate the pandemic that has contaminated and killed folks internationally. He referred to as for joint efforts to save lots of the humanity.
In his telephonic dialog together with his French counterpart, {Foreign Minister} Jean-Yves Le Drian, Qureshi held detailed discussions on the COVID-19 pandemic in addition to methods to boost cooperation to fight the unfold of the illness. Expressing deep concern over the lack of treasured lives, {Foreign Minister} Qureshi lauded the steps being taken by the French authorities to comprise the virus, and thanked the {Foreign Minister} for taking care of 13 Pakistanis affected in France.
He additionally briefed {Foreign Minister} Le Drian in regards to the measures underway in Pakistan to comprise the outbreak. {Foreign Minister} Qureshi knowledgeable that the variety of affected folks in Pakistan as a consequence of COVID-19 was growing. COVID-19 had unfold to nearly all international locations of the world, and the state of affairs demanded a coordinated strategy by the worldwide neighborhood to fight its unfold.
In view of the state of affairs in Iran, {Foreign Minister} Qureshi underscored the necessity for rapid lifting of sanctions and increasing humanitarian help to allow Iranian authorities to save lots of treasured human lives. He additionally expressed deep concern over the persevering with communication and motion lockdown in Indian Occupied Jammu and Kashmir which was depriving eight million Kashmiris of vital info and important medical provides wanted to successfully comprise the COVID-19 pandemic.
{Foreign Minister} Qureshi additionally expressed concern over the delicate state of monetary techniques of the growing world. To permit growing international locations to deal with the disaster, and mitigate the financial fallout, he underlined the Prime Minister’s name for debt restructuring, and sought France’s help and understanding, as an essential member of the EU, the G-7, and the UN Safety Council, on these points. French {Foreign Minister} agreed with the {Foreign Minister}’s evaluation of the state of affairs in Iran and the necessity to present debt reduction to growing international locations, and expressed his intention to lift the lifting of sanctions on Iran with the IMF, in addition to offering debt reduction to growing international locations on the G-20.
{Foreign Minister} Qureshi urged that in view of the state of affairs arising out of the COVID-19, the 2 sides could held the subsequent spherical of Bilateral Political Consultations, which was scheduled on 26 March 2020, by way of video convention. {Foreign Minister} Le Drian praised Pakistan for expression of solidarity and concurred with the necessity for enhanced cooperation to tide over the disaster. The 2 Overseas Ministers agreed to remain involved.
Earlier, Qureshi held a phone dialog together with his Spanish counterpart, {Foreign Minister} Arancha Gonzales Laya, to debate issues associated to the Covid-19 outbreak. {Foreign Minister} Qureshi conveyed deep condolences over the lack of treasured lives in Spain. He recommended the steps being taken by the Spanish authorities, and specifically, lauded the heroic sacrifices of the Spanish well being care employees. He additionally dilated upon the constructive position of the 100,000 sturdy Pakistani neighborhood in Spain in standing in solidarity with their Spanish compatriots in the course of the unprecedented disaster.
Qureshi expressed deep concern over the persevering with communication blackout in Indian Occupied Jammu and Kashmir which was depriving eight million Kashmiris of vital info and important medical provides wanted to successfully comprise the Covid-19 pandemic.
The {Foreign Minister} additionally underscored the necessity for rapid lifting of sanctions towards Iran and increasing humanitarian help to allow Iranian authorities to save lots of treasured human lives. {Foreign Minister} Qureshi additional highlighted the Prime Minister’s name for debt reduction for the growing international locations to allow them to commit assets to fight the pandemic, and mitigate its critical financial fallout. Thanking the {Foreign Minister} for the decision, {Foreign Minister} Laya apprised him of the steps being taken by Spain to take care of its residents, together with these of Pakistani origin. She appreciated the position being performed by the Pakistani neighborhood in Spain.
She knowledgeable that the state of affairs in Iran was mentioned on the EU Overseas Ministers assembly held on 23 March and in addition talked about that the problem of debt reduction to growing international locations might be taken up at acceptable fora. The 2 Ministers agreed that one of the simplest ways to beat the Covid-19 pandemic was to cooperate carefully. {Foreign Minister} Qureshi additionally held phone dialog with {Foreign Minister} AK Abdul Momen of Bangladesh on the COVID-19 pandemic. The 2 Ministers mentioned the challenges confronted by regional international locations within the face of speedy unfold of the COVID-19 pandemic and exchanged concepts on methods to fight the risk.
{Foreign Minister} Qureshi underscored that Pakistan thought of SAARC an essential platform for regional cooperation. Reaffirming Pakistan’s abiding dedication to the SAARC course of, he reiterated Pakistan’s readiness to host the SAARC Well being Ministers’ convention to boost cooperation amongst member international locations and improvement companions in well being sector with explicit give attention to COVID-19. He proposed {that a} video convention might be organized first in view of the prevailing state of affairs. Appreciating Pakistan’s provide, FM Momen conveyed Bangladesh’s readiness to take part within the video convention.
Discussing the necessity to share assets, it was underlined that SAARC COVID-19 emergency fund needs to be positioned underneath the Secretary Normal of SAARC and the modalities for its utilization needs to be finalized by way of consultations on the earliest.
{Foreign Minister} Qureshi urged that SAARC ought to consider and coordinate on the financial and social disruption brought on by COVID-19 and consultants from the member international locations ought to begin work on this regard instantly. Expressing concern over the financial challenges confronted by the growing international locations because of the international pandemic, {Foreign Minister} Qureshi underscored the necessity for debt restructuring by developed international locations and the worldwide monetary establishments in order that the obtainable assets might be utilized to cope with the unprecedented international well being emergency. Agreeing with the proposal, {Foreign Minister} Momen underscored the necessity to elevate the problem on the G-77 discussion board.
{Foreign Minister} Qureshi underscored that Iran was confronted with critical challenges as a consequence of COVID-19, which had been additional aggravated because of the persevering with financial sanctions towards it. He emphasised the necessity for rapid lifting of these sanctions, enabling Iranian authorities to make the most of their assets for saving treasured human lives. {Foreign Minister} Qureshi assured his Bangladeshi counterpart that every one Bangladeshi residents in Pakistan had been being taken care of by the Authorities of Pakistan as its personal folks. The 2 Overseas Ministers burdened the necessity for joint efforts to handle the state of affairs. They agreed to work carefully to comprehend collective endeavours for widespread profit.
