Islamabad: President of Pakistan, Asif Ali Zardari, has reiterated Pakistan's readiness to offer Kyrgyzstan the shortest and most economical route to the Arabian Sea.
According to Kuwait News Agency, the Pakistani President received his Kyrgyz counterpart, Sadyr Zhaparov, at the President House in the federal capital, Islamabad. Prior to the delegation-level talks, the two leaders held a brief private meeting to review bilateral relations.
President Zardari emphasized the importance of expanding direct flights to support trade, tourism, and people-to-people contacts. He expressed that this high-level visit by a Kyrgyz President after 20 years is expected to bring fresh momentum to the already cordial ties between Pakistan and Kyrgyzstan. He highlighted that Pakistan values its close and fraternal relations with Kyrgyzstan, shaped by shared faith, common heritage, and cultural affinity.
The President also appreciated Kyrgyzstan's completion of its segment of the CASA 1000 project and reaffirmed Pakistan's commitment to completing its part of the project, which is now at an advanced stage. President Zhaparov thanked Pakistan for supporting Kyrgyzstan's candidacy for the non-permanent seat of the UN Security Council and invited President Zardari to visit Kyrgyzstan at his convenience.
Both leaders reviewed cooperation across several fields and agreed that current trade levels do not reflect the real potential of the two economies, highlighting the need to broaden commercial exchanges. President Zardari welcomed the presence of a Kyrgyz business delegation at the Pakistan Kyrgyzstan Business Forum, describing it as a sign of the shared desire to strengthen economic links.
The two Presidents also discussed regional connectivity, expressing satisfaction with the operational road corridor under the Quadrilateral Traffic in Transit Agreement. The meeting reaffirmed the shared commitment of both countries to deepen cooperation in trade, energy, connectivity, education, banking, and people-to-people exchanges for mutual benefit.
Matters relating to the regional and international situation were also discussed, as stated in the release. The meeting was attended by senior members from both sides.