On Monday 25 March the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Federica Mogherini, and Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi announced the conclusion of a new strategic engagement between the EU and Pakistan.
Once formalities have been completed on the EU side, this agreement can be signed. Initially, the objective was to finalise this agreement by mid-2017 (see EUROPE 11638/16), in order to replace the five-year commitment plan adopted in 2012 (see EUROPE 10627/19, 10550/23).
“We finally agreed on a new strategic engagement plan. That is a real plus”, Mr. Qureshi told reporters in Islamabad at the end of the fourth round of the Strategic Dialogue.
Ms Mogherini said that this commitment would “give an even stronger foundation” to the EU-Pakistan partnership, that it would broaden the areas of cooperation and that it would not be time-limited.
According to the Minister of Foreign Affairs, the discussion also focused on broadening and deepening bilateral relations, including political, trade and investment, security and defence, democracy, the rule of law and governance, and issues of common interest, such as migration.
Ms Mogherini explained that she had agreed with her counterpart to intensify joint work on the implementation of the 2010 EU-Pakistan readmission agreement and on joint management of migrant flows and support for Islamabad.
The Minister and the High Representative also discussed the international situation, in particular with regard to Iran, their support for the peace process in Afghanistan and the recent tensions between Pakistan and India. For Mr. Qureshi, the idea of a war between two nuclear powers is “madness” and there is no solution other than a political settlement through negotiation. Ms. Mogherini supported the stability and security of the region. “Pakistan knows that it can count on the EU to support it in this process”, she said. (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)