Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi, on Tuesday, said that Pakistan stands in full support of the Kuala Lumpur Summit, an initiative launched by Malaysian Prime Minister Dr. Mahathir Mohammad to bring together five Muslim countries to collaborate on socio-economic development.
Addressing the second Ministerial meeting of the Kuala Lumpur Summit, held in Doha, Foreign Minister Qureshi said that the challenges of climate change, terrorism, governance, development and the surge in Islamaphobia warrant a comprehensive and integrated response.
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— Yar Muhammad Khan Niazi (@YarMKNiazi) December 3, 2019
Kuala Lumpur Summit
The Ministerial meeting held in Doha comprised representatives from Pakistan, Qatar, Turkey, Indonesia and the host, Malaysia. The main summit is scheduled to be hosted by Malaysia in Kuala Lumpur, from December 18 to 21.
The summit will be focused on seven areas of consultation, including development and sovereignty, justice and freedom, culture and identity, integrity and good governance, peace, security and defense, trade and investment, and technology and internet governance.
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Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi observed that the challenges of globalization have encouraged the erosion of cultural norms and civilizations, and it is essential for the Muslim world to carve out a balanced path. He said, “We must not only make sure that we are not left behind but are able to preserve our unique civilizational identity, cultural personality, and national sovereignty.”
Qureshi observed that Pakistan, Turkey, Malaysia, Indonesia, and Qatar collectively account for around 50% of the total GDP, 37% each of the population and natural gas production, and 18% of the total geographical area of the Muslim world.
The Foreign Minister said, “We are working on existing proposals for cooperation within the KL Summit framework and have also proposed cooperation in the fields of trade, tourism, Islamic banking, food Security, higher education, science & technology, and women empowerment.”
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He observed that there is immense potential for collective prosperity and development for the countries located at close proximity to the strategic maritime points in the world, including the Gulf of Oman, the Bosphorus, Strait of Hormuz and the Strait of Malacca.
The Foreign Minister said, “We must have the requisite political and diplomatic space to enhance beneficial cooperation among us for socioeconomic development.” Observing the future course of the ‘Perdana Dialogue for Civilization’, Qureshi stressed on engaging with the perspectives of partners within and outside the Muslim world.
No Challenge to Existing Organizations
Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi reiterated Malaysian Prime Minister Dr. Mahathir Mohammad’s stance that the Muslim countries do not intend to challenge any existing organization or directing our cooperation against any third party.”
He said that the Perdana Dialogue would not only serve as a think-tank or a platform for discussions, but it would also allow countries to undertake projects for mutually beneficial collaboration.
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The Foreign Minister stressed that sharing resources, knowledge, and experiences will aid the participating nations in achieving their goals of cultural and socio-economic development, powered by technological innovation in a peaceful environment.
He said, “We have to create a knowledge-seeking culture for our youth, who are going to be the future leaders, at all levels.”