Pakistan hopes for beefing up ties with Azerbaijan under Baku’s PA ECO chairmanship

By Azernews

Relations between Pakistan and Azerbaijan will further strengthen during the latter's chairmanship in the Parliamentary Assembly of Economic Cooperation Organization (PA ECO), Azernews reports, citing Pakistan’s National Assembly Chairman Raja Pervaiz Ashraf.

Ashraf made the remarks at the third General Conference of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Economic Co-operation Organisation in Baku on May 17.

“Our region shares the same fate. We are looking for solutions to regional problems, and our common efforts are important to ensure the well-being of the region. I hope that during the period of Azerbaijan's chairmanship in ECO, we will further strengthen our ties," Ashraf said.

He stated that the foundation for good collaboration within the Economic Cooperation Organization is strong (ECO).

"I thank Azerbaijan for sincere hospitality and organization of this event at a high level. It is a great honor for me to take part in this event in Azerbaijan. Our societies are close to each other, we have much in common,” he added.

In turn, Azerbaijani Parliament Speaker Sahiba Gafarova thanked the Pakistani National Assembly for the successful chairmanship of the PA ECO.

She recalled that Pakistan has done important work in terms of establishing the assembly, and thanked Pakistan for acting as the PA ECO Secretariat.

Gafarova praised the role of the Secretariat in holding the third General Conference of the organization, noting that great work must be done to reveal the full potential of the organization, and the Azerbaijani Parliament wants to start working for a sustainable partnership.

The speaker said that meetings of three committees of the organization have already been held.

Gafarova assured the participants that during her chairmanship of the organization, Azerbaijan will make efforts to strengthen the activities of the assembly and boost cooperation between the parliaments of the member countries.

The second General Conference of the Parliamentary Assembly of Economic Cooperation Organization (PAECO) was hosted by the National Assembly of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan from June 1-2, 2021 under the topic “Promoting Parliamentary Partnership for Regional Integration”.