Bilawal meets Russia's FM Lavrov, assures of bolstering energy cooperation

Pakistan's Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari met his Russian counterpart, Sergey Lavrov, on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Council of Foreign Ministers meeting in the Indian city of Goa on Thursday.

Bilawal has assured Sergei Lavrov of bolstering cooperation between the two nations in energy, the Foreign Office (FO) said.

According to FO, the two foreign ministers discussed bilateral, regional and international matters of mutual interest and assured each other of working closely to further deepen cooperation between their countries in the areas of food security, energy and people-to-people contact.

Bilawal is in Goa, India to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation's (SCO) Council of Foreign Ministers (CFM) summit at the invitation of Minister for External Affairs of the Republic of India — the current chair of the SCO.

During the meeting, the foreign minister assured his Russian counterpart to "work closely for further deepening cooperation in food security, energy and people-to-people contacts".

Bilawal said that the SCO opened new vistas of cooperation and coordination with Russia. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said last Thursday that cheap oil imported from Russia would arrive in Pakistan soon.

Ahead of his departure, Bilawal, the first Pakistani Foreign Minister to visit India in over a decade, said that he was looking forward to "engaging bilaterally" countries that were part of the SCO, reports Dawn news.

"On my way to Goa, India. Will be leading the Pakistan delegation at the SCO Council of Foreign Ministers. My decision to attend this meeting illustrates Pakistan's strong commitment to the charter of SCO," he said on Twitter.

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"During my visit, which is focused exclusively on the SCO, I look forward to constructive discussions with my counterparts from friendly countries," he said.

In a video message alongside his tweet, the Foreign Minister also stated that he was looking forward to "engaging bilaterally" with countries that were part of the organisation, Dawn reported.

Meanwhile, the spokesperson for Foreign Office (FO) said that Bilawal had departed for Goa from Karachi.

Details of the delegation accompanying the Foreign Minister were not immediately available.

Bilawal's trip will be the first visit to India by a Foreign Minister of Pakistan since July 2011, when then-foreign minister Hina Rabbani Khar visited for peace talks.

Pakistan has already made it clear that the Foreign Minister will not hold any bilateral meeting with his Indian counterpart S. Jaishankar while in Goa.

Bilawal has also dismissed speculation surrounding his upcoming trip, saying it should not be interpreted as a sign of improved bilateral ties between the two neighbouring countries, Dawn reported.