Brussels, 05/06/2012 (Agence Europe) -EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs Catherine Ashton and Pakistani Minister for Foreign Affairs Hina Rabbani Khar gave the go-ahead on Tuesday 5 June to an EU-Pakistan strategic dialogue and new five-year engagement plan. Ashton said that this is “designed to cover a whole range of issues and areas where Pakistan and the EU can work together, collaborate and establish stronger and deeper relationships that will help us to engage on some of the important issues for this country but also important issues that concern us all”. She added that the EU wanted to work on a long-term goal and that it also wanted to support Pakistan's economy, consolidate democracy and play a constructive role with the country in the region. Ashton also said that the EU is not just a partner today but will continue to be a strong and reliable partner in the future.
The Dialogue also enabled the two partners to examine development cooperation, including the parameters of the second multi-annual indicative EU programme for 2007-2013.
The EU and Pakistan also decided to work closely together on human rights issues, the international community's commitment in the transformation phase in Afghanistan, as well as the fight against terrorism and the setting up of a specific Pakistan-EU committee. The two also discussed the ongoing peace process between Pakistan and India, as well as the efforts made by Islamabad to normalise its relations with New Delhi and its other neighbours.
Ashton also informed Khar that the process on autonomous trade preferences (ATP) for Pakistan, proposed by the EU following the 2010 floods, was currently being completed and would be implemented as soon as possible. Khar underlined her hope that her country would have a system of generalised tariff preferences (GSP+) by 2014.
The second meeting on strategic dialogue will take place next year in Brussels. (CG.transl./fl)