FM Bilawal, Chinese FM Wang Yi reaffirm full commitment to further deepening of strategic cooperation
NEW YORK, Sep 20 (SABAH): Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari met his Chinese counterpart, State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi, on the sidelines of the 77th Session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York. This was their fourth meeting since the Foreign Minister assumed office in April 2022.
During the meeting, the two sides had a comprehensive exchange of views on the entire spectrum of bilateral partnership and multilateral cooperation, including at the United Nations.
The Foreign Minister conveyed profound gratitude to the Chinese leadership, government and people for China’s prompt support and robust assistance to Pakistan in the wake of catastrophic floods, which was a true reflection of time-tested ‘All-Weather Strategic Cooperative Partnership’ between Pakistan and China.
Recalling the summit meeting between Prime Minister Mian Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif and President Xi Jinping in Samarkand on 16 September 2022, the two Foreign Ministers reaffirmed full commitment to further deepening of strategic cooperation, extending strong support for each other’s core interests and major concerns, enhancing economic engagement, accelerating high-quality development of CPEC, and strengthening bilateral security cooperation.
The Foreign Minister highlighted Pakistan’s close convergence with China on multilateral issues premised on the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, multilateralism, free trade, and development. He appreciated China’s contributions for global socio-economic development through open and inclusive initiatives like BRI and Global Development Initiative (GDI).
Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari agreed to remain in close contact with State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi.
Meanwhile the Contact Group on Muslims in Europe of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), chaired by the OIC Secretary General, held an open-ended meeting in New York, on the sidelines of the 77th United Nations General Assembly Session. The meeting was held on the request of the Republic of Türkiye. Pakistan was represented by Foreign MinisterBilawal Bhutto Zardari.
The OIC Secretary General, Hissein BrahimTaha, in his statement, expressed OIC’s concerns regarding the surge of anti-Muslim sentiment in some European countries and called for further efforts to enhance constructive engagement and dialogue in order to promote inter-cultural harmony and mutual understanding, tolerance and respect.
The Meeting reviewed the overall situation of Muslims in Europe since the last meeting of the Contact Group, held on 22 March 2022 in Islamabad, and reaffirmed OIC’s unwavering support for the Muslim communities.
The Meeting expressed deep concern over the worrying rise of anti-Muslim sentiment, Islamophobia, hate speech and right-wing extremism and the trend of violent incidents against Muslims in some European countries driven by hate speech and pervasive discrimination; and firmly rejected the far right’s divisive, intolerant and exclusionary political rhetoric.
In his remarks, Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari underlined that Islamophobia – which has extended roots in European history – has now become endemic in several countries across the globe, especially in its gravest manifestation in India. He noted that the rise in hate crimes against Muslims as well as discrimination in education, citizenship, immigration, employment, housing and healthcare, among others, were well documented. The gender aspect of Islamophobia was also gaining prominence, with Muslim girls and women being targeted due to mode of their dress.
The Foreign Minister presented a four-point action plan for better protection of Muslim Minorities in Europe and urged the OIC member states, within the framework of their bilateral relations with European countries, to raise the challenges facing Muslims in Europe and make specific efforts to help address those challenges.
Meanwhile a meeting of the OIC Committee of Six on Palestine at the Level of Foreign Ministers was held on the sidelines of 77th Session of the United Nations General Assembly. Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari led the Pakistan delegation. The meeting was chaired by the Secretary General of the OIC and also attended by Ministers and high officials from Guinea, Malaysia, Palestine, Senegal and Türkiye.
The Foreign Minister noted with deep concern the continued deterioration of the situation in the Occupied Palestinian Territories, including occupied Jerusalem, especially Al-Aqsa Mosque/Al-Haram Al-Sharif. He strongly condemned the continued killing and wounding of Palestinian civilians, including children; violation of the sanctity of the holy places, demolition of Palestinian homes and forcible displacement of Palestinian families; and the brazen murder of the Palestinian journalist, Shireen Abu Aqleh.
The Foreign Minister stressed that these crimes should not escape accountability. Appropriate mechanisms should be created to seek justice against such violations of international law, including the Fourth Geneva and other human rights Conventions.
The meeting urged the international community to protect the Palestinians against the blatant and illegal use of force and flagrant violations of human rights and urgently take concerted actions to stop Israeli atrocities against the civilian population.
While reaffirming Pakistan’s solidarity with the people of Palestine and stressing the importance of implementation of the relevant UN and OIC resolutions, the Foreign Minister reiterated the call for the establishment of a viable, independent and contiguous State of Palestine, on the basis of internationally agreed parameters, pre-1967 borders, with Al-Quds Al- Sharif as its capital.