Italy-Pakistan relations based upon mutual cooperation: Ambassador Andreas Ferrarese

Newswire

Islamabad: Italy’s Ambassador to Pakistan Andreas Ferrarese said this week that Italy-Pakistan relations were based upon mutual cooperation.

Interacting with the Pakistani businessperson, the envoy said Italy enjoys close and cordial diplomatic, economic, cultural, business and trade ties with Pakistan.

Ambassador Ferrarese said the two countries share perceptions on major international and regional issues. He said Italy supports Pakistan in important regional forums such as the European Union, NATO and Friends of Democratic Pakistan (FoDP).

Ambassador Ferrarese said Italy recognizes the strategic location of Pakistan in South Asia and acknowledges that a democratic and stable Pakistan was essential for the maintenance of peace in the entire region.

He recalled that Italy and Pakistan established diplomatic relations in 1948. Since then there have been frequent bilateral contacts between Pakistan and Italy at the governmental and non-governmental levels.

He said Pakistan maintains an embassy in Rome and a Consulate General in Milan, while Italy too has an embassy in Islamabad and a Consulate General in Karachi and an honorary consulate in Lahore.

Ambassador Ferrarese said Italy-Pakistan relations are based upon mutual cooperation in the fields of commerce and industry, technology, science, culture and archaeology. Pakistan also receives assistance from Italy, he added.

The envoy said Rome had also extended humanitarian and emergency assistance to Pakistan whenever a natural disaster has struck Pakistan. Also there are more than 100,000 Pakistanis residing in Italy, he said.