FM Qureshi speaks to Iranian, Finish counterparts on phone, discusses COVID-19
The Finish foreign minister thanked FM Qureshi for expressing solidarity
ISLAMABAD (Dunya News) – Foreign Minister Makhdoom Shah Mahmood Qureshi held a telephonic conversation with Iranian Foreign Minister Dr Javad Zarif and Finland’s Foreign Minister Pekka Olavi Haavisto and discusses ways and means to combat the COVID-19 pandemic and its socio-economic fallout.
The foreign minister received a telephone call from his Iranian counterpart Dr. Javad Zarif and the two exchanged greetings on the advent of holy month of Ramazan.
Offering condolences over the loss of precious lives in Iran due to COVID-19, FM Qureshi expressed the hope that Iran would achieve success against the global pandemic.
The two foreign ministers discussed the recent outbreak of desert locust in the region and agreed on the need for collective endeavours to effectively address this menace.
They exchanged views on the Afghan peace process. Qureshi reaffirmed Pakistan’s steadfast support for peace and reconciliation process in Afghanistan and our hopes for the earliest commencement of intra-Afghan negotiations.
FM Qureshi expressed thanks for Iranian leadership’s principled position on the rights of the Kashmiri people and highlighted enhanced difficulties in IOJ&K due to communications restrictions and lack of unfettered access to medical and other supplies to address Coronavirus.
The Foreign Minister also drew attention to the demonization of Muslims in India in the context of COVID-19, emphasizing that it should be rejected by the world community.
On the other hand, Shah Mahmood Qureshi held a telephonic conversation with Foreign Minister Pekka Olavi Haavisto of Finland and discussed ways and means to combat the COVID-19 pandemic and its socio-economic fallout came under discussion.
The foreign minister briefed the Finnish Foreign Minister on the measures being taken by the government of Pakistan to contain the pathogen while safeguarding economic well-being and livelihoods of the people, particularly the most vulnerable segments.
He highlighted Prime Minister Imran Khan’s ‘Global Initiative on Debt Relief’ for the developing countries which was urgently needed to free up resources to fight the pandemic and mitigate its adverse economic impact. The Initiative will bring together stakeholders on a platform to undertake coordinated action. Besides creating fiscal space and providing financial relief, the Initiative envisions additional measures to manage the ongoing crisis.
Qureshi expressed concern over the continued communications and movement restrictions in Indian Occupied Jammu & Kashmir (IOJ&K) that were hampering dissemination of information and unfettered supply of medicines and other essentials needed to combat the disease. He also noted that the Hindutva-inspired BJP Government in India was using the Pandemic to demonize India’s Muslim minority in the context of Covid-19, an attempt that should be rejected by the international community.
The Finish foreign minister thanked the Foreign Minister for expressing solidarity and concurred with him on having a coordinated international approach to deal with Covid-19.
Haavisto shared the concern by Foreign Minister Qureshi vis-à-vis the negative fallout of Covid-19 on the fragile economies of developing countries. The two leaders agreed to remain engaged on the debt relief initiative and enhancement of bilateral relations.
