ISLAMABAD, DEC 11 (DNA) – Dean of European missions Emilian ION ambassador of Romania has said recent visit of Romanian cultural troupe to Pakistan was yet another milestone achieved in terms of cementing of cultural relations between the two countries.He expressed these views while talking to a select group of media people here on Friday. Ambassador Emilian further said, he was indebted to people of Pakistan who extended the Romanian cultural performers great hospitality. He added, for the first time his granddaughter Cristiana ION came to Pakistan as part of the cultural group.
“ It was a great time for her and indeed a great time for me as well that my granddaughter came to Pakistan to take part in various cultural activities”, he added.
Ambassador Emilian to a question said, relations between Romania and Pakistan were constantly on the move, however there is still room for improvement of these relations in some fields.
He said his focus is now on strengthening business ties for which he and encouraged many leading Pakistani business people who went to Romania and explored avenues of cooperation.
There is a big interest in developing cooperation in education sector sector, shown by some Romanian and Pakistani universities. The Rector of COMSATS Institute of Information and Technology has recently visited Romania, and over 200 Pakistani students are currently studying in Romania.
An important role in promoting cultural ties belongs to Pakistan Romania Friendship Association, whose activity I have managed to revive. Through organizing social and cultural activities, PRFA was and will continue to be a good platform to bring Romania and Pakistan closer together and the Association will be the spearhead of cultural activities in the future.
A separate point that shows the importance the two countries attach to the cultural cooperation is the Monument dedicated to the National Poets of Pakistan, Allama Iqbal, and of Romania, Mihai Eminescu, which was constructed in 2004, in Islamabad, near Kulsoom International Hospital.
He said, Pakistan was a very important partner in the region for my country, Romania, the 7th largest member of the European Union.
“I am very convinced that the near round of political consultations at high level between our Ministries of Foreign Affairs will assess the evolution and generate a Road Map, with concrete actions, that will aim towards further consolidating and promoting the bilateral relations between our countries, in the political, economic, cultural and all other fields of common interest”.
In my opinion, the current volume of trade does not reflect the real economic potential of our countries and both Embassies in Islamabad and Bucharest have to do more in this regard.
Besides, as you may know in recent days various business delegations visited Romania including Sahiwal, Lahore, Chakwal chambers, who went there and explored ways of mutual cooperation.
I sincerely believe by enhancing people to people contacts, we can surely improve bilateral relations in all fields. Romania is not very far off from Pakistan which is a good sign therefore we should make maximum use of this plus point.=DNA