Acknowledging that these ties are deeply rooted in shared history, heritage, culture and civilization;
Reaffirming the unique and special character of Pakistan-Turkey relations;
Recalling the Joint Political Declaration on Intensified Cooperation and the establishment of the High Level Cooperation Council (HLCC) (October 2009) and Joint Press Statement on Pakistan-Turkey Special Relations (April 2010);
Affirming that Pakistan and Turkey will always stand by each other in safeguarding and advancing their core national interests and promoting peace and prosperity at the regional and global planes;
Acknowledging, with gratitude, Turkey’s generous assistance to Pakistan in the wake of the floods calamity;
Reiterating their mutual desire to transform relations between Pakistan and Turkey into an enhanced 21st century partnership in the political, security, economic and cultural domains;
Expressing satisfaction at the progress achieved thus far;
Realizing the vast untapped economic potential of the partnership, and the strong desire of the two sides to optimally utilize their abundant talent, human, technological and other resources for mutual good and shared prosperity;
Stressing that the HLCC allows Turkey and Pakistan to fully explore and build upon shared interests, maximize cooperation on mutual priorities, and reinforce the already profound and unique relationship between the peoples of Turkey and Pakistan,
We, as the co-chairs of the inaugural meeting of the Turkey-Pakistan High Level Cooperation Council held in Ankara on 7th December 2010 with the participation of
- H.E. Cemil Cicek, Deputy Prime Minister and State Minister, H.E. Mehmet Aydin, State Minister, H.E. Vecdi Gonul, Minister of National Defense, H.E. Ahmet Davutoglu, Minister of Foreign Affairs, H.E. Taner Yildiz, Minister of Energy and Natural Rescours.
- H.E. Makhdoom Amin Fahim, Minister for Commerce, H.E. Chaudhry Ahmed Mukhtar, Minister for Defence, H.E. Syed Naveed Qamar, Minister for Petroleum and Natural Recourses, Haji Ghulam Ahmad Bilour, Minister for Railways, H.E. Raja Parvez Ashraf, Minister for Water and Power, H.E. Salim H. Mandiwala, Minister of State/Chairman Board of Investment,
- Members of Parliaments as well as other prominent dignitaries and officials,
Agreed as follows:
Political Cooperation
• Utilize the High Level Cooperation Council as a vehicle to achieve the objective of enhanced comprehensive partnership;
• Hold regular sessions of the HLCC to promote all round cooperation, ensure effective follow up and implementation in a measurable and time-bound framework;
• Intensify exchanges at the leadership level as well as among Parliamentarians, journalists, civil society representatives and business leaders;
• Enhance political coordination at the regional and international for a;
• Hold regular consultations between respective Foreign Ministries, including on policy planning;
Security and Defence Cooperation
• Make full use of the existing bilateral structures and documents on security and military cooperation including the fields of military exchanges, training, joint exercises and collaboration in defence production and research and development;
Economic and Trade Cooperation
• Establish a framework for enhancing economic and trade cooperation for establishing a mutually-beneficial partnership for shared prosperity;
• Upgrade financial and banking sector cooperation; regular consultations between their respective Central Bank Governors; opening of bank branches and currency swap arrangements;
• Adopt measures for investment facilitation; promotion of joint ventures for the development of infrastructure and in the fields of energy, agriculture, industry and facilitation of corporate sector interaction;
• Initiate steps to achieve the target of US$ 2 billion trade by 2012. In this context, to consider establishing trade facilitation mechanisms, including customs cooperation and free trade arrangements.
• Undertake connectivity projects to upgrade communications and transport, including Islamabad-Istanbul rail link and regular cargo service; air links including increasing the frequency and destinations of flights; and maritime cooperation and shipping links;
• Consider establishing Pakistan-Turkey Joint Investment Company;
• Enhance cooperation in science and technology, in particular for undertaking research and development in high technology and its industrial application. In this regard, consider establishing a Special Joint Science & Technology Fund;
• Enhance cooperation in the energy sector in a comprehensive manner, including hydel and renewable sources of energy.
• Undertake programmes for the joint development of tourism, including hotel industry;
Education, Culture and Tourism cooperation
• Enhance cooperation in the education sector; facilitate students and youth exchanges;
• Promote the learning of Turkish and Urdu languages;
• Establish links between the academia and institutes of higher learning and think tanks;
• Jointly promote cooperation in the fields of art and culture; research and publications about civilizational links and heritage;
• Encourage programmes of cooperation between culture-related institutions and to organize events, including performing arts;
Implementation modalities
- Mechanisms established by the Memorandum of understanding in the field of Planning between the Government of the Republic of Turkey and the Government of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan shall be operationalized to consider and identify projects for cooperation in the field of planning.
- Also agree to establish the following Joint Working Groups to develop the envisaged Frameworks of Cooperation, specific programmes and projects:
1. Finance and Banking
2. Trade
3. Railways and Communications;
4. Energy
5. Education
6. Culture and Tourism
- The Joint Working Groups will submit their reports and recommendations to the High Level Cooperation Council through the Ministries concerned.
- An ad-hoc Joint Task Force will be established to conduct a comprehensive review of the bilateral documents and legal framework/arrangements in order to identify potential shortfalls, overlaps and areas for further improvement and offer specific proposals. The Joint Task Force will be coordinated by the respective Ministries of Foreign Affairs and modalities of their work shall be decided through diplomatic channels. Proposals of the Joint Task Force shall be submitted to the approval of the HLCC
During the inaugural session of the HLCC MoUs/agreements on cooperation in various fields were signed.
The next meeting of the Turkey-Pakistan High Level Cooperation Council shall be held in Islamabad in 2011. The date shall be agreed upon through diplomatic channels.
Done in Ankara 7 December 2010 in English and Turkish languages, both texts being equally authentic.
Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani
Prime Minister of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan
Recep Tayyip Erdogan
Prime Minister of the Republic of Turkey
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