The Ambassador of Pakistan to Indonesia, Timor Leste & ASEAN, Muhammad Hassan, paid a courtesy call on the newly appointed Secretary General of ASEAN

DNA

JAKARTA: The Ambassador of Pakistan to Indonesia, Timor Leste & ASEAN, Muhammad Hassan, paid a courtesy call on the newly appointed Secretary General of ASEAN,. Kao Kim Hourn in the ASEAN Secretariat.

The Ambassador congratulated the Secretary General on his appointment as the Secretary General of ASEAN, and hoped that during his tenure, the long-standing relations and mutually beneficial cooperation between ASEAN and Pakistan would continue to flourish. The Ambassador noted that Pakistan valued its long-standing relations with ASEAN, based on mutual respect, cordiality and shared values in the region. The Ambassador also briefed the Secretary General of ASEAN on the current trajectory of Pakistan-ASEAN relations. He highlighted the current initiatives taken by Pakistan, to enhance mutually beneficial engagement under Practical Areas of Cooperation, including the successful execution of the First short Diplomatic Coursefor diplomats from ASEAN countries in Foreign Service Academy in Islamabad in September 2022. A second diplomatic course is planned to be held in May this year, he stated. In addition, three more cooperation projects, including a short training course for central bank employees of ASEAN Member States by National Institute of Banking and Finance (NIBAF) in May, 2023, an ASEAN-Pakistan Business opportunities Conference and a training course for custom professionals was at the final stages of approval and implementation. The Ambassador informed the Secretary General that after successful implementation of the above-mentioned cooperation projects, Pakistan would submit another set of projects to promote cooperation in the fields of trade, investment, tourism, media, agriculture, cyber security and climate change, to ASEAN Secretariat for its consideration. The Secretary General complimented Pakistan for its long-standing association with ASEAN. He hoped that the upcoming cooperation projects would help reinvigorate Pakistan-ASEAN relations. He also lauded Pakistan’s active participation and contribution in the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF), and hoped that it will continue in future. He further stated that both sides needed to focus on implementing the already agreed practical areas of cooperation, as well as finding new avenues of cooperation. Ambassador Muhammad Hassan proposed that in order to reinvigorate cooperation between ASEAN and Pakistan, the 7th meeting of ASEAN-Pakistan Joint Sectoral Cooperation Committee (APJSCC) may be convened during 2023. He also invited Secretary General of ASEAN to visit Pakistan, as per his convenience. The Secretary General thanked the Ambassador for the invitation to visit Pakistan and hoped that it would take place soon. He also agreed to the proposal of convening of 7th meeting of APJSCC, at mutually agreed dates this year. The Secretary General expressed satisfaction on the existing cooperation between ASEAN and Pakistan and stressed on the need to enhance cooperation on mutually agreed practical areas of cooperation, specifically in the fields of investment and tourism.