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PR. No.218/2008

Date: 20/07/2008    

MAKHDOOM SHAH MAHMOOD QURESHI'S OFFICIAL VISIT TO UK

Foreign Minister Makhdoom Shah Mahmood Qureshi will pay his first official visit to United Kingdom on 24-26 July 2008 at the invitation of his British counterpart Rt. Hon. David Miliband. He will be accompanied by senior officials of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The Foreign Minister's engagements in UK include a meeting with the British Prime Minister, official talks with Foreign Secretary David Miliband, Secretary of State for Business Enterprise and Regulatory Reform John Hutton, Secretary of State for Defence Des Browne, leader of opposition David Cameron, and Shadow Secretary of State for Foreign & Commonwealth Affairs, an address at the International Institute of Strategic Studies (IISS), a roundtable meeting with Pakistani community leaders and young British-Pakistanis in Birmingham and interaction with local and international media. The Foreign Minister will also meet the Commonwealth Secretary General, Kamalesh Sharma.

The two Foreign Ministers will review bilateral relations and explore avenues of further cooperation in diverse fields with the UK . They will also exchange views on regional and international issues of mutual interest including situation in Afghanistan , war against terrorism and composite dialogue process with India .

UK was among the first countries to establish contact with the new democratic government in Pakistan . British Home Secretary, Foreign Secretary, Defence Secretary, and Secretary for International Development visited Pakistan and affirmed UK 's commitment and support to Pakistan 's new democratic government . Also, meetings of Pakistan–UK Defence Cooperation Forum, Joint Judicial Cooperation Working Group, and Joint Working Group on Counterterrorism were held in London in recent weeks.

The Foreign Minister's visit will promote understanding on issues of mutual concern and facilitate promotion of greater market access for Pakistani products in British and EU markets.

Islamabad

20 July 2008