ISLAMABAD, Feb 2: Pakistan and Saudi Arabia on Thursday agreed to increase interaction between the leadership of the two countries and signed five agreements to strengthen cooperation.
The accords were reached in talks held between King Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz and President Gen Pervez Musharraf and Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz.
During the 80-minute meeting at the Prime Minister’s House, the king assured his hosts of full support to Pakistan on various national and international issues.
Issues relating to the Ummah, situation in the region and Pakistan’s quest for regional stability and dispute resolution came under discussion at the meeting, says an official announcement. There was complete unanimity of views on all issues.
The three leaders discussed the challenges faced by the Ummah and the efforts to present Islam in its true spirit.
They also discussed measures to enhance economic cooperation and strengthen the strategic partnership between the two countries.
President Musharraf and Prime Minister Aziz thanked King Abdullah for Saudi Arabia’s prompt and generous assistance for people affected by the earthquake.
Earlier, Mr Aziz received the king at the PM House. They had one-to-one talks before going for a formal meeting which was later joined by President Musharraf.
After the talks, they witnessed the signing of five agreements by officials of the two countries.
The agreements pertain to bilateral consultations between the two foreign ministries, avoidance of double taxation, scientific and technological cooperation, vocational training and technical education, and educational and scientific cooperation.
Later, a group of children from the quake-hit areas met the king and thanked him for the support provided by the government and people of Saudi Arabia to the quake victims.
The Saudi king, the president and prime minister shook hands with the children. The king gave each of them a copy of the Holy Quran and some gifts.
The prime minister hosted a lunch in honour of the Saudi leader and his entourage.
DETAILS OF ACCORDS: Under the agreement on scientific and technological cooperation, the two countries will set up a committee which will meet every two years to coordinate their activities, adds APP.
The convention for avoidance of double taxation and prevention of tax evasion, signed between Adviser to Prime Minister on Finance Dr Salman Shah and Saudi Finance Minister Ibrahim A. Al-Assaf, aims to strengthen economic relations.
It deals with the income from salaries, gains from movable or immovable property, dividends, business or other professions and sources. Under the elimination of double taxation, one state will exempt income taxed in the other country.
The convention shall come into effect from Feb 1 and after an initial period of five years it shall remain in force indefinitely.
Under the MoU on political consultations, the foreign ministries of the two countries will hold annual meetings on regional and international issues of common interest. The MoU was signed by Foreign Minister Khurshid Kasuri and his Saudi counterpart Saud Al Faisal.
In accordance with the programme on educational and scientific cooperation, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia will exchange expertise and researchers in academic, technical and administrative areas in higher education.
Education Minister Javed Ashraf and Saudi Minister for Culture and Information Iyad A. Madni signed the agreement under which the two sides will cooperate with each other in scientific research in applied sciences, leading to establishment of research teams.
They shall create training opportunities, encourage exchanges in medicine and technology, and hold joint studies. They will provide student grants and encourage teaching of Arabic language and translation of distinguished literary and scientific works.
Under the technical cooperation programme, both sides will work for technical education and vocational training. The two countries will ensure training of teachers, trainers, researchers and exchange their visits.
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