Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar said on Thursday that Pakistan was committed to deepening its relationship with Croatia.
He made the remarks while addressing delegation-level talks with Croatia’s Minister of Foreign and European Affairs Gordan Grlić Radman, who arrived in Islamabad earlier on a one-day visit.
At the outset, Dar said that the European Union (EU) was among Pakistan’s top trading partners, adding that Croatia was a “strong member” of the union.
“We are committed to deepening Pakistan’s engagement with Croatia for a sustainable bilateral partnership and closer cooperation within the EU framework,” he said.
He said that the EU’s top diplomat, Kaja Kallas, had recently visited Pakistan.
“We have wonderful relations with the EU leadership. We remained in contact during the India-Pakistan war,” he said, referring to last year’s brief military conflict.
He said that he had invited Radman and Kallas to visit Pakistan at the same time, thanking them both for accepting.
In his remarks, Radman thanked Dar for the invitation and said he was pleased to be making his first official visit to Pakistan.
He said the “talks provided an opportunity to review bilateral relations and explore ways to expand cooperation, particularly in the areas of trade, economy, and business”.
Describing ties between the two countries as “excellent”, Radman said there was “still room to further strengthen cooperation”.
Referring to conflicts in the Middle East and Ukraine, he stressed the importance of international solidarity at a time of growing global challenges, saying “countries must uphold international law, respect humanitarian principles and work together to address regional and international crises”.
The Croatian minister also welcomed Pakistan’s diplomatic efforts to promote dialogue and de-escalation in the Middle East, saying initiatives aimed at advancing peace and stability in the region were important.
He also congratulated Dar on Pakistan’s role in supporting diplomatic engagement and expressed support for efforts to encourage peaceful solutions to ongoing conflicts.
According to the Foreign Office (FO), Radman is expected to call on Pakistan’s leadership.
“Pakistan looks forward to further strengthening bilateral cooperation with Croatia in areas of mutual interest,” he said.
