CPSC hosts Roundtable with heads of missions of Central Asian Republics, Azerbaijan.

ISLAMABAD -- The China-Pakistan Study Centre (CPSC) at Institute of Strategic Studies Islamabad (ISSI) on Friday organized a Roundtable with the Heads of Missions of Central Asia and Azerbaijan Atadjan Mamlamov, Ambassador of Turkmenistan and Dean of the Diplomatic Corps, led the CAR-Azerbaijan delegation.

Other delegation members included Aybek Usmanov, Ambassador of Uzbekistan Yerzhan Kistafin, Ambassador of Kazakhstan; Tamerlan Khalilov, Charge d' Affaires of Azerbaijan; Saidjon Shafiev, Charge d' Affaires of Tajikisan; and Melis Moldaliev, Counselor Kyrgyz Republic, said a press release issued here.

Director General ISSI Ambassador Sohail Mahmood, Chairman BoG Ambassador Khalid Mahmood, and members of the CPSC represented the ISSI side.

Dr. Talat Shabbir, Director CPSC, in his introductory remarks, briefed the delegation on the mission and working of ISSI. He also highlighted Pakistan's cultural and trade ties with Central Asian states and Azerbaijan.

Warmly welcoming the delegation, DG ISSI Ambassador Sohail Mahmood underscored Pakistan's deep historical and cultural links with Central Asia and Azerbaijan and the efforts underway to further fortify these ties.

He highlighted Pakistan's 'Vision Central Asia' policy and its 5-pronged focus on deepening political and diplomatic; trade and investment; energy and connectivity; security and defence; and cultural and people-to-people relations.

He added that, besides history and culture, the key driver of this policy was Pakistan's pivot to geo-economics.

Ambassador Sohail Mahmood underscored the pivotal importance of regional connectivity and stressed that Pakistan provided the shortest access to the sea to Central Asian states.

Both sides...