Political Relations [fr]

Introduction
Political Relations
Visits and bilateral high-level contacts

Introduction

France and Pakistan established their diplomatic relations at the time of Pakistan’s independence in 1947. Today, our relations are mainly structured around three axes (political, economy and security). The President of the Republic met with the Prime Minister of Pakistan in March 2014. Our economic exchanges amounted to about one billion euros. Pakistan is our second export partner in South Asia. Our cultural relations are strengthened by the presence of three Alliance Francaise centers in Pakistan (Islamabad, Lahore and Karachi).

Political Relations

Since the visit of the Prime Minister Gilani in Paris in 2011, our bilateral dialogue is based on three joint commissions, corresponding to the three documents signed during this visit:

• a joint political statement which recalls the broad outlines of our partnership. It provides regular consultations between the Secretaries Generals of French and Pakistan Ministries of Foreign Affairs.
• a joint declaration on cooperation in the field of security, which provides annual exchanges within the framework of joint security commissions;
• a joint declaration on economic and trade partnership, which allows regular exchange in the framework of joint committees co-chaired by the General Directorate of the Treasury. The last meeting was held in Paris in March 2015. In addition, the first trip to Paris in June 2014 by a delegation of Pakistani business leaders was a big success.

Visits and bilateral high-level contacts

March 2014: Meeting of the President of the Republic with the Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif at Haye; (Rencontres bilatérales de haut niveau)

December 2012: Visit to Paris by President Zardari;

Mai 2011: Visit to France by Mr. Yusuf Raza Gilani, Prime Minister and Mrs. Hina Rabbani Khar, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Pakistan;

August 2010: Visit to Paris by President Zardari;

September 2010: Meeting at Paris by Mr. Abdul Hafeez Sheikh, Minister for Finance, with Mr. Bernard Kouchner;

January 2010: Visit to Paris by Mrs. Hina Rabbani Khar, Minister of State for Finances and Economic Affairs;

December 2009: Visit to Paris of the Speaker National Assembly;

July 2009: Visit to Pakistan by Mrs. Anne-Marie Idrac, Minister of State for External Commerce;

July 2009: Visit to Paris by Mr. Rehman Malik, Minister for Interior;

May 2009: Visit to Paris of the President Zardari and General Kayani (18 May);

November 2008: Visit to Karachi by the Minister of State for Defence and Veteran Affairs, Mr. Jean-Marie Bockel;

June 2008: Meeting in Paris of the Pakistani Minister for Foreign Affairs, Shah Mahmood Qureshi, with the Minister;

January 2008: Visit to France by the President Musharraf;

January 2008: Visit to Pakistan by the Minister for Foreign and European Affairs, Mr. Bernard Kouchner, Meeting with President Musharraf, the Prime Minister Soomro and his counterpart, Inam-ul-Haque;

July 2006: Visit to Paris by Pakistani Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr. Khurshid Kasuri;

November 2005: Visit to Pakistan by the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr. Philippe Douste-Blazy. Participation at the Islamabad Conference on the reconstruction of the areas hit by the earthquake of 8 October 2005;

February 2004: Visit to Pakistan by the Minister for Foreign Affairs, M. De Villepin;