ISLAMABAD — President Asif Ali Zardari has underscored the importance of strengthening Pakistan’s bilateral relations with Sri Lanka, Indonesia, Kyrgyzstan, Austria, and Germany, with a particular focus on expanding cooperation in trade, economy, and culture.
The President made these remarks during a formal ceremony held at Aiwan-e-Sadr, where he received the diplomatic credentials of the newly appointed envoys from the five countries. The envoys included the High Commissioner-designate of Sri Lanka and the Ambassadors-designate of Indonesia, Kyrgyzstan, Austria, and Germany.
Upon arrival, the diplomats were received with full ceremonial honours, including a guard of honour presented by a smartly turned-out contingent of the Armed Forces of Pakistan.
Those presenting their credentials included:
- H.E. Rear-Admiral H.L.A. Don Fred Seneviratne, High Commissioner-designate of Sri Lanka;
- H.E. Mr. Chandra Warsenanto, Ambassador-designate of Indonesia and Chairman of ASEAN Countries;
- H.E. Mr. Kylychbek Sultan, Ambassador-designate of Kyrgyzstan
- H.E. Mr. Wolfgang Oliver Kutschera, Ambassador-designate of Austria
- H.E. Mrs. Ina Ruth Luise Lepel, Ambassador-designate of Germany.
President Zardari congratulated the envoys on their appointments and welcomed them to Pakistan. He expressed confidence that their tenures would lead to the deepening of existing ties and the exploration of new avenues for cooperation across diverse sectors, including trade, investment, education, people-to-people contacts, and cultural exchange.
He highlighted Pakistan’s commitment to fostering meaningful international partnerships and reiterated the country’s desire to work closely with these nations for mutual development, regional stability, and prosperity.
The President also emphasized the importance of diplomatic engagement in building stronger bridges between Pakistan and its international partners, noting that proactive collaboration and dialogue were essential to addressing shared global challenges.
The newly appointed diplomats expressed their eagerness to work with Pakistan and conveyed their respective countries’ desire to enhance bilateral cooperation and contribute positively to the multifaceted relationship with Islamabad.
The ceremony marked a reaffirmation of Pakistan’s diplomatic outreach and its continued efforts to strengthen international partnerships for collective progress.
BY: The Times Union
