Moscow (Agencies): Foreign Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif has said that Pakistan wants to enhance bilateral relations with Russia in various sectors.
Speaking at a news conference along with Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov on Tuesday, Asif said Islamabad and Moscow share identical stance on war against terrorism, Radio Pakistan reported.
The minister said Pakistan has rendered unprecedented sacrifices in war against terrorism and we want peace and stability in the region. He said Pakistan has not back out from the war against terrorists, however, we cannot fight war of others on our soil.
The minister also expressed gratitude to Russia for support in granting of membership to Pakistan in Shanghai Cooperation Organization. Khawaja Asif said Afghan issue cannot be resolved through war as the Taliban has shifted to settled areas of Afghanistan.
Asif on Monday reached Moscow on a four-day visit that aims at boost bilateral ties.
According to the foreign office, the minister is visiting Moscow at the invitation of Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov of the Russian Federation from 19-22 February 2018.
The trip comes in a situation that the US along with its allies were trying to place Pakistan on Financial Action Task Force’s (FATF) grey-list for allegedly not taking appropriate steps to curb money-laundering and terror financing.
During his stay in Moscow, Asif will hold official talks with his Russian counterpart. The two sides would deliberate upon the entire spectrum of bilateral relations as well as regional and international issues of mutual interest.
