ISLAMABAD – Federal Minister for Science and Technology Rana TanveerHussain on Wednesday said, strong bilateral trade and economic ties betweenPakistan and Russia would help to promote peace and stability in South Asia.

The minister is currently visiting Moscow and extended his felicitations tothe Russian President Vladimir Putin on his resounding victory in theelections, said a press releases received here.

He along with senior officials of Ministry of Science and Technology ofRussian Federation and other Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) memberStates presented congratulations to the Russian head of state.

Rana Tanveer said that friendly relations with Russia remain a highpriority for the foreign policy of Pakistan and urged that there was aconsensus in Pakistan on the need to further strengthen and diversifyrelations with Russia.

Meanwhile, in another meeting with Russian Minister for Education & ScienceOlga Yuryevna, Federal Rana Tanveer said that Pakistan wants to forge along term and broad based partnership with Russia, especially in the fieldof trade, energy, defence, security, peaceful use of energy, culture &education.

He recalled that first ever meeting of the Chairman State Duma to Pakistanin December 2017 was a milestone in Pak-Russian ties.

He also thanked the Russian counterparts for offering 16 educationalscholarships to Pakistani students. Federal Minister further elaborated toexplore the possibility of establishing joint Study Programmes in numerousuniversities of Pakistan.

Rana Tanveer, proposed Russian Minister for Education & Science, OlgaYuryevba to establish Pakistan-Russia Centre for Science and TechnologyCooperation in Pakistan. He also proposed to establish a common fund of SCOfor development of Science and Technology to support those countries thatlag in the fields of Science and Technology. – APP