Cavusoglu: Turkey, Pakistan to develop cooperation in defence industry

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu has said Ankara will deepen its defence cooperation with Pakistan which conferred its highest civilian award to the visiting Turkish diplomat. 

Cavusoglu said on Wednesday he discussed a 71-point road map with the Pakistani officials and said, "We will strengthen our bilateral relations."

He said both countries will bring bilateral trade up to its true potential and that "we will develop cooperation in the defence industry as well."

Cavusoglu also signed a deal with Pakistani officials to increase cooperation on education while their agreements in the fields of military and tourism signed last year took effect. 

Highest civilian award 

Earlier, at a ceremony at the President's House in the capital Islamabad aired on state TV, President Arif Alvi conferred the Hilal-e-Pakistan on Cavusoglu.

He also met with Prime Minister Imran Khan and other top Pakistani officials.

Cavusoglu is in the country for a three-day official visit and to participate in a second trilateral meeting between Pakistan, Turkey, and Azerbaijan.

Countering anti-Muslim policies 

The agreement on education came following talks between Pakistan's Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi and Cavusoglu in Islamabad, according to a Pakistan Foreign Ministry statement.

The two countries also agreed to "enhance interfaith harmony globally" to address "concern on the growing phenomenon of Islamophobia," the statement added.

The two countries' top diplomats expressed satisfaction over current bilateral relations between Islamabad and Ankara and stressed the need for the implementation of a Pakistan-Turkey Strategic Economic Framework at the earliest.

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'Similarities in views'

Qureshi told his Turkish counterpart about human rights violations carried out by Indian forces in "the Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir" and thanked Ankara for its unwavering support to Pakistan on the Kashmir dispute.

He also briefed Cavusoglu on his country's conciliatory efforts to bring lasting peace in Afghanistan and said Pakistan will continue to support peace efforts to end the 19-year long conflict in the war-ravaged country.

"Shah Mehmood Qureshi welcomes similarities in views between the two countries at the international level" including the UN and Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), read the statement.

The Pakistani top diplomat also congratulated his Turkish counterpart over last summer’s natural gas discovery in the Black Sea.

For his part, Cavusoglu thanked Qureshi for Pakistan's support and assistance on various Turkish issues.

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