Strategic dialogue: Second round of Pak-EU talks to begin next week

ISLAMABAD: The second round of comprehensive strategic dialogue between Pakistan and the European Union will begin next week in Brussels. Both sides will discuss in depth cooperation on a wide range of issues, including counter-terrorism and nuclear non-proliferation and disarmament, EU Ambassador to Pakistan Lars-Gunnar Wigemark said on Thursday. Pakistan and the EU will also review the implementation of a five-year engagement plan and the rapid changes taking place in South Asia, such as the drawdown of international forces from Afghanistan and role of Islamabad in upcoming Afghan elections, he added. The Pak-EU Strategic Dialogue and the Engagement Plan have been launched to strengthen relations, building on the full range of EU-Pakistan cooperation, from foreign and security policy to development and trade. Wigemark said the illegal migration from Pakistan and the issues being faced by the legal migrants were big problems for some of the EU member countries. The issues of trade and energy reforms are on the table. Wigemark said the EU supported efforts to normalise trade between Pakistan and India, and added that the issue would be discussed in Brussels. Various trade facilitation programmes will be discussed during the strategic dialogue. The ambassador said the EU was working on projects for improving food safety and security. The implementation on Afghanistan-Pakistan Transit Trade Agreement will also be reviewed in Brussels. “We are not expecting any breakthrough in the Brussels meeting and the purpose of the second round is to have comprehensive relations with Pakistan,” the EU envoy said. Wigemark backed the ongoing trial of former president Pervez Musharraf. “There should be no impunity and everyone should be treated as equal before the law,” he said in reply to a question regarding the EU’s stance on General Musharraf’s judicial trial. On a question on talks with the Taliban, he said it was the decision of a democratically elected government and the EU supported the move as such. Published in The Express Tribune, March 21st, 2014.