Saudi Arabia has become the third member of CPEC: Fawad Chaudhry
Dawn.comUpdated September 20, 2018
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Minister for Information Fawad Chaudhry — DawnNewsTV
Saudi Arabia will be the third member of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), Minister of Information Fawad Chaudhry said on Thursday.
Addressing a press conference in Islamabad regarding Prime Minister Imran Khan's two-day visit to Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates (UAE), Chaudhry said that Pakistan's main interest lies in cooperation with Saudi Arabia on matters of trade and security.
"A high-level coordination committee has has been constituted [to look into matters of trade and commerce] and it has the complete backing of Saudi King Salman bin Abdul Aziz Al-Saud and PM Khan," Fawad Chaudhry said while adding the two countries finalise an important economic partnership during this visit.
He also announced that high-level delegations from Saudi Arabia and UAE will visit Pakistan to discuss trade and security in October.
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He said that Saudi Arabia is the first country that Pakistan has invited to become a third partner in CPEC and the projects that Saudi Arabia would be investing in will be smoothed out during the Saudi delegation's visit, scheduled for the first week of October.
"We have also assured the Saudi leadership that we will continue to provide security to their country and provide strategic support wherever needed," Chaudhry said.
The information minister said that while in Abu Dhabi, the Pakistani delegation met with Crown Prince Muhammad bin Zaid and matters of mutual interest were discussed.
"I should mention here that the relations between Pakistan and UAE and Pakistan and Saudi Arabia were going through a cold phase for the past few years and this visit changed that," the information minister said.
He added that the complications surrounding the procurement of UAE visas will soon be resolved as the matter came into discussion during this visit.
"The foreign office will soon send a proposal to UAE and it is expected to resolve these issues for the thousands of Pakistanis that are dwelling in the Emirates," Chaudhry assured.