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Pakistan FM leaves for Abu Dhabi: Is meeting with Indian FM likely today?

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Pakistan foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi during his visit to Expo 2020 Dubai.

Pakistan foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi during his visit to Expo 2020 Dubai.

Dubai - Qureshi left for Abu Dhabi a day after his Indian counterpart S. Jaishankar also arrived in the Capital.

Published: Mon 19 Apr 2021, 9:26 AM

Updated: Mon 19 Apr 2021, 10:57 AM

  • By
  • Waheed Abbas

Pakistan’s foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi left for Abu Dhabi on Monday after spending two busy days in Dubai to meet his UAE counterpart Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the UAE’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, and other senior UAE officials.

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The Pakistani foreign minister’s meetings will focus on bilateral relations, and promotion of bilateral cooperation in various fields of mutual interest — especially increasing the volume of bilateral trade.

During his three-day visit, Qureshi will also discuss with his UAE counterpart the overall regional situation and international issues of mutual interest.

While in Dubai, he met seniors from the Pakistani business community, visited Expo 2020 and Pakistani pavilion, and also addressed local and international media.

Will Indo-Pak FMs meet today?

Interestingly, Qureshi left for Abu Dhabi a day after his Indian counterpart S. Jaishankar also arrived in Abu Dhabi on Sunday evening and met Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan.

The rumour mill is in full swing that the Indian and Pakistani foreign ministers will meet in the UAE Capital, as relations between the two neighbours improve following the mediation of the UAE.

The UAE's Ambassador to the US Yousef Al Otaiba said last week that the UAE is mediating between India and Pakistan to help the nuclear-armed rivals reach a "healthy and functional" relationship.

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However, Pakistani foreign minister told Khaleej Times in an exclusive interview that no meeting is scheduled with the Indian foreign minister and his visit is UAE-Pakistan specific and not India-Pakistan specific.

“I am here for a bilateral visit and not an India-specific agenda. My agenda is UAE-Pakistan and not India-Pakistan,” he said, adding that a meeting with the Indian foreign minister has not been planned. “I don’t think a meeting is set out with the Indian foreign minister,” he told the newspaper on Sunday.

waheedabbas@khaleejtimes.com



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