EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas calls for sustained US-Iran negotiations while commending Pakistan’s mediation efforts in Islamabad.
KARACHI: EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas on Monday called for continued negotiations between the US and Iran, while praising Pakistan’s role in facilitating dialogue between the two sides, Anadolu Ajansi (AA) reported.
“It is a conflict that is having an impact on everybody in the world when it comes to energy prices, (and) prices of fertilisers. So, this is really what we need to see ceasefire holding, (and) talks continuing,” Kallas said in opening remarks at the 8th EU-Pakistan Strategic Dialogue in Islamabad alongside Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar.
She commended Islamabad for helping facilitate direct talks between Washington and Tehran aimed at reaching a negotiated settlement to the conflict.
Pakistan is currently mediating between the US and Iran in an effort to end the war that began on Feb. 28. The fighting was halted on April 8 after Islamabad helped secure a ceasefire.
“We have this contested geopolitical environment… tensions everywhere, we have real risk of escalation… and we also share the priorities when it comes to rules-based international order that we need to develop further,” Kallas said.
The visit marks her first trip to Pakistan since assuming the role of EU high representative for foreign affairs and security policy and vice president of the European Commission.
“We are working towards global and regional stability which is in our interest,” she said.
Pointing to what she described as strong momentum in bilateral relations, Kallas called for a more forward-looking partnership between the EU and Pakistan.
She said discussions with Dar would focus on strengthening cooperation in areas including climate, digital infrastructure, migration and mobility, as well as regional and global developments.
For his part, Dar stressed the importance of maintaining regular strategic dialogue between Pakistan and the EU.
He said he had remained in close contact with Kallas on a range of issues, including last year’s Pakistan-India conflict and the ongoing US-Iran war.
The EU is Pakistan’s second-largest trading partner. Under the Generalised Scheme of Preferences Plus (GSP+), Pakistan enjoys duty-free or reduced-duty access for many exports to European markets.
The status, first granted in 2014, was extended through 2027 after the European Parliament voted in October 2023 to continue the arrangement for eligible developing countries, including Pakistan.
