MOSCOW – Russia said late on Tuesday that it will provide every possiblesupport to Pakistan to make it a developed country, Radio Pakistan reported.
The Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov reiterated his country’s supportto Islamabad while responding to a question during a press briefing.
Lavrov acknowledged Islamabad’s efforts in the war on terror, observingthat militants spread inside Afghanistan along the area bordering Pakistanpose a grave threat.
The foreign minister added that several agreements have signed between thetwo countries that also included provision of helicopters and militaryequipment. He noted that Pakistan’s presence in the Shanghai CooperationOrganisation will strengthen the ties between Russia and Pakistan.
Pakistan had been an observer with the SCO since 2005 and applied for itsfull membership in 2010. The decision, in principle, to give membership toPakistan was taken by the SCO Heads of States meeting held in Ufa, Russia,in 2015.
A strong ally of Islamabad, Russia threw its weight behind Pakistan’sefforts to become member of the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG), an exclusiveclub of nuclear trading nations, in December 2017.
The support for Pakistan’s bid came from a Russian diplomat, who told aconference that Moscow was not opposed to Pakistan’s NSG candidature andhad no intention to block it. He praised the steps taken by Pakistan forstrengthening its national export control programme that complied with thespirit of international regimes and conventions.