Pakistan, Russia hold first-ever consultations on regional issues

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan today said it has held first-ever consultations with Russia over important global and regional issues amid warming ties between the former Cold War rivals.

"The first Pakistan-Russia Consultations on Regional Issues were held at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Islamabad) on December 13," the Foreign Office here said in a statement on yesterday's discussions.

During the consultations, the whole range of regional issues as well as key areas of mutual interest including economic cooperation and connectivity were discussed.

"The two sides also exchanged views on important global and regional developments," said the statement.

It was decided that the next round of consultations will be convened in Moscow in 2017.

The Russian side was led by Alexander V Sternik, Head of the Third CIS Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russia while the Pakistani side was led by Ahmad Hussain Dayo, Director General (West Asia), Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The consultations were held amid growing ties between Pakistan and Russia after decades of mistrust and animosity during the Cold War.

In September, Russia held its first-ever military exercises with Pakistan and has also started selling weapons to Islamabad.