ISLAMABAD, June 22: The 12th session of Joint Ministerial Commission between Turkey and Pakistan, which was in progress at Ankara, concluded on Saturday with the signing of protocol on economic and technical cooperation.

The protocol was signed by Commerce Minister Abdul Razak Dawood and Turkish Trade Minister Resat Dogru on behalf of their respective governments.

According to an official statement issued here, the protocol highlighted the close and friendly relations between the two countries. It stressed the need to further strengthen the economic and technical cooperation between the two countries.

The two sides exchanged views on a number of areas for cooperation. These included: cooperation in bilateral trade, investment, fairs and exhibitions, agricultural, energy, railways, tourism, health and science and technology. Areas of cooperation to be accorded priority were agriculture, information, technology, energy and small and medium enterprises.

During the meeting, various issues of mutual interest were discussed and the two sides reviewed the developments in bilateral trade since the 11th session of the Joint Ministerial Commission and pointed out that present trade volume did not reflect the economic potential of both countries.

The two sides agreed to exert every effort to increase and diversify trade relations through increasing contacts between their business communities, organizing trade and economic missions, participating in international fairs, exhibitions, seminars and conferences organized in their respective countries.

Mr Dawood had also one to one meetings with Speaker of Turkish grand national assembly Omer Izgi, ministers of state Prof. Tunca Toskay and Mehmet Kececiler, and discussed with them the matters pertaining to bilateral commercial and trade relations.