FM informed his Russian counterpart on his discussions on BSGI with the FMs of Ukraine and Turkiye, the US Secretary of State and the EU chief

Shujaat Hamza

ISLAMABAD: Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari held a telephone conversation with Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov of the Russian Federation today.

The two Ministers had a useful exchange on bilateral matters and growing cooperation in diverse areas. The Foreign Minister also renewed the invitation to Foreign Minister Lavrov to visit Pakistan.

The two Foreign Ministers also discussed the Black Sea Grain Initiative (BSGI). Recognizing the importance of this initiative and its potential impact on disruption of global food supply chains causing food inflation and food-security-related challenges, Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari underscored the need for concerted efforts to find viable solutions that would in particular benefit developing countries already under economic strain. He expressed the hope that all parties involved in the BSGI would engage in constructive dialogue to revive the Initiative. In this regard, the Foreign Minister reiterated Pakistan’s support for international efforts for restoring the deal by addressing the concerns of all sides.

The Foreign Minister informed his Russian counterpart on his discussions on BSGI with the Foreign Ministers of Ukraine and Turkiye, the US Secretary of State and the EU High Representative. Foreign Minister Lavrov shared Russia’s perspective on the issue. The two Foreign Ministers agreed to remain in close contact on the matter.