European Commission President and Pakistani Prime Minister Discuss De-escalation Efforts and Regional Cooperation

Brussels, September 23 (KUNA) -- European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on Wednesday praised Pakistan’s role in supporting de-escalation, dialogue, and the pursuit of peaceful solutions to conflicts, expressing her gratitude to Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif for his initiative to mediate in the dispute between the United States and Iran. This came during a meeting between von der Leyen and Sharif in New York on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly, where they discussed regional issues and ways to strengthen the partnership between the European Union and Pakistan. Von der Leyen stated in a post on the X platform that the European Union places great importance on its partnership with Pakistan, noting that the Strategic Engagement Plan between the two sides reflects the broad scope of this partnership and their shared commitment to democracy, the rule of law, human rights, and civil space. She added that the European Union and Pakistan are working together in the fields of stability and security, emphasizing the importance of continuing cooperation between the two sides in addressing regional and international challenges. She clarified that the talks covered ways to advance the development of the partnership between the two sides in several areas, including trade and addressing the issue of irregular migration. (End) A.R.N. / R.J.