ANKARA (Kashmir English): Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar held separate meetings with his counterparts from Saudi Arabia, Türkiye, Egypt, the United Kingdom and France during his visit to Istanbul.
The meetings took place on the sidelines of the Regional Four (R4) ministerial meeting, where discussions focused on bilateral relations, the Middle East situation and diplomatic efforts to promote regional peace and stability.
According to the Foreign Office, Dar met Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan and reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to strengthening ties with Saudi Arabia. Both sides agreed to expand cooperation and maintain regular consultations.
Dar also expressed Pakistan’s support for Saudi Arabia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. The two leaders discussed their strategic mutual defence agreement and the Makkah Defence Agreement, describing them as important for strengthening bilateral and security cooperation.
In his first meeting with Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, Dar discussed relations between the two countries and developments in the Middle East and Palestine. Both ministers condemned Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia and agreed to maintain close coordination on regional security matters.
Dar also met Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty. The two sides agreed to expand cooperation in trade, agriculture, pharmaceuticals, renewable energy, defence and other sectors. They also discussed the situation in Palestine and stressed the need for continued diplomatic engagement.
During his meeting with British Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband, both officials expressed satisfaction with Pakistan-UK relations and agreed to strengthen cooperation in areas of mutual interest. Miliband appreciated Pakistan’s diplomatic efforts to promote regional peace and stability.
In another meeting, French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot discussed bilateral relations and the impact of regional and global crises on economic conditions, particularly energy prices, with Dar. Barrot also praised Pakistan’s efforts to support regional peace.
The Foreign Office said the meetings reflected Pakistan’s efforts to strengthen ties with partner countries and maintain diplomatic engagement on regional and international issues.
