POLITICAL ISSUES
IRAN
1. Firdous calls on Iranian President
Tehran, Sunday, 20 May 2012
Federal Minister for National Regulations and Services Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan along with religious scholar Khanam Tayyaba Bokhari called on Iranian President Mahmud Ahmadinejad and discussed a wide range of issues of mutual concern.
Source: Associated Press of Pakistan

SAUDI ARABIA
2. Saudi Ambassador meets Rehman Malik
Islamabad, Thursday, May 17, 2012
Saudi Ambassador to Pakistan Abdul Aziz Al-Ghadeer called on Interior Minister of Pakistan Rehman Malik and agreed to further promote and strengthen bilateral relations.
Source: Associated Press of Pakistan

3. Pakistani ambassador, Saudi Minister discuss bilateral matters
Islamabad, Monday, May 21, 2012
Ambassador of Pakistan, Naeem Khan met Deputy Foreign Minister Saudi Arabia Prince Abdul Aziz bin Abdullah in Jeddah and both reviewed progress made on various proposals, discussed during recent visit of Prince Abdul Aziz Bin Abdullah to Pakistan in April.
Source: Associated Press of Pakistan

TURKEY
4. Turkish PM seventh world leader to address joint session
Islamabad, Friday, May 18, 2012
Turkish Prime Minister, Recep Tayyip Erdogan would be the seventh world leader to address Pakistan’s Parliament during his three-day visit to Pakistan starting from May 20.
Source: Associated Press of Pakistan

5. Turkish PM arrives for three-day visit
Islamabad, Sunday, May 20, 2012
Turkish Prime Minister, Recep Tayyip Erdogan was accorded warm welcome when he arrived for a three-day visit to Pakistan on the invitation of Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani for wide-ranging talks.
Source: Associated Press of Pakistan

6. Nisar urges Erdogan to act as bridge between West, Islamic world
Islamabad, Monday, May 21, 2012
Leader of the Opposition in Pakistan’s National Assembly, Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan urged Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan to act as a bridge between the Western and Islamic worlds.
Source: Associated Press of Pakistan

7. Pakistan, Turkey ink 9 accords of cooperation
Islamabad, Tuesday, May 22, 2012    
Pakistan and Turkey signed nine documents for cooperation in various fields particularly investments, energy and communications in a bid to further strengthen their bilateral relationship. The documents included an Agreement on bilateral investment, five Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) mainly on energy, education and communication and two protocols on Joint Ministerial Commission and cooperation on archives.
Source: Associated Press of Pakistan

8. Pakistan, Turkey to further boost ties
Islamabad, Tuesday, May 22, 2012
Prime Minister of Pakistan, Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani and his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan co-chaired the second meeting of High-Level Cooperation Council (HLCC) and agreed to boost bilateral relations in all sectors, particularly security, energy, communication, trade and culture
Source: Associated Press of Pakistan

9. Turkey respects Pakistan decision on NATO supply routes
Islamabad, Tuesday, May 22, 2012    
Turkey said it respects Pakistan’s decision on the NATO supply routes and endorses its demand for an apology from the US over the killing of its troops at Salala check post.

Source: Associated Press of Pakistan

UAE
10. UAE envoy calls on Rehman Malik
Islamabad, Wednesday, May 2, 2012
Ambassador of United Arab Emirates (UAE) to Pakistan Isa Abdullah Al Basha Al Nuaimi and Chairman UAE Red Crescent Society Ahmed Humaid Al Mazrouie called on Interior Minister of Pakistan Rehman Malik and discussed matters of mutual interests. Both sides agreed to further promote and strengthen the bilateral relations.
Source: Associated Press of Pakistan

11. Chairman UAE Red Crescent briefs President on projects in Pakistan
Islamabad, Friday, May 4, 2012
Chairman of Board of Directors UAE Red Crescent Ahmed Humaid Al Mazrouie called on President Asif Ali Zardari at Aiwan-e-Sadr and briefed him about various social welfare projects in Pakistan.
Source: Associated Press of Pakistan

12. Firdous assures all support to UAE Red Crescent in Pakistan
Islamabad, Monday, May 7, 2012
Minister for National Regulations and Services, Dr. Firdous Ashiq Awan assured support to various initiatives launched by UAE Red Crescent in Pakistan for welfare of people and emphasized promotion of Pak-UAE public-private partnership.
Source: Associated Press of Pakistan

ECONOMIC ISSUES
IRAQ
13. Scope exists with Iraq in energy, construction sectors: Gilani
Islamabad, Monday, May 21, 2012    
Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani said there existed a lot of scope for cooperation with Iraq in the fields of infrastructure, construction and energy. Talking to Ambassador of Iraq Rushdi Mahmood Rasheed he said the cooperation would promote the interdependence of economies of the two countries.
Source: Associated Press of Pakistan

IRAN    
14. Iran-Pakistan Gas project interim front end engineering design completed
Islamabad, Thursday, May 3, 2012
Interim Front End Engineering Design (FEED) of Iran-Pakistan Gas Pipeline Project has been completed and according to official sources, the Interim Bankable Feasibility Study of the project had also been finalized.
Source: Associated Press of Pakistan

15. FPCCI calls for promotion of bilateral trade with Iran
Peshawar, Thursday, May 24, 2012
Vice president of Federation of Pakistan Chamber  of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI) Zubair Ali has said that Pakistan and Iran and are not only good neighbours, but also tied in the strong bond of religion and that promotion of trade  relations between both countries can usher economic revolution in the region.
Source: Associated Press of Pakistan

OMAN
16. SECP and Capital Market Authority Sultanate of Oman signed MoU
Islamabad, Tuesday, May 15,2012     
The Securities and Exchange Commission of  Pakistan (SECP) and Capital Market Authority (CMA) of Oman, recognizing the increasing international activity in the financial markets and the corresponding need for cooperation between the relevant national authorities, have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU).
Source: Associated Press of Pakistan

TURKEY
17. President Zardari urges early conclusion of Pak-Turkey Preferential Trade Agreement
Chicago, Monday, May 21, 2012
President Asif Ali Zardari has called for the creation mechanisms for private entrepreneurs of Pakistan and Turkey for achieving the mutually agreed trade target of US$2 billion by the end of this year and stressed on an early conclusion of a Preferential Trade Agreement and the opening of the bank branches in each others’ countries.
Source: Associated Press of Pakistan

18. Turkish investors to finance energy sector
Islamabad, Monday, May 21, 2012    
Turkish government expressed its interest to invest in the power sector in Pakistan and assured to encourage investors to resolve energy issue faced by Pakistan. The official offer was made by Turkish Minister for Energy and Natural Resources Taner Yildiz during his meeting with Minister for Water and Power Syed Naveed Qamar.
Source: Associated Press of Pakistan

19. Pak Turkey discuss investments in Pakistan
Islamabad, Monday, May 21, 2012
Zafer Calayan, Minister of Economy, Republic of Turkey called on Minister of State/Chairman Board of Investment (BOI) Saleem H. Mandviwalla and discussed the interests of the Turkish companies for investment in Pakistan.
Source: Associated Press of Pakistan

20. Makhdoom Amin Fahim stresses early operationalization of Pak-Turkey PTA
Islamabad, Monday, May 21, 2012     
Senior Minister for Commerce, Makhdoom Amin Fahim stressed the need for early operationalization of Pak-Turkey Preferential Trade Agreement (PTA) to boost trade activities between the two countries.
Source: Associated Press of Pakistan

MISCELLANEOUS ISSUES
IRAQ
21. Iraq, Tunisia, Pakistan for enhancing cooperation in education sector
Islamabad, Tuesday, May 8, 2012
Ambassador of Iraq to Pakistan Rushdi M. Rasheed and Ambassador of Tunisia to Pakistan Mourad Bourehla called for enhancing cooperation in the education sector between their countries and Pakistan. The Ambassadors made these observations in their separate visits to National University of Modern Languages (NUML).
Source: Associated Press of Pakistan

JORDAN
22. PM greets Jordanian counterpart on Independence Day  
Islamabad, Friday, May 25, 2012     
Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani has sent a message of greetings to Prime Minister of Jordan, Fayez Tarawneh on the independence day of his country being celebrated on May 25.
Source: Associated Press of Pakistan

LEBANON    
23. PM greets Lebanese counterpart on Independence Day
Islamabad, Friday, May 25, 2012
Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani has sent a message of greetings to Prime Minister of Republic of Lebanon Najib Mikati on the Independence Day falling on May 25.
Source: Associated Press of Pakistan

PALESTINIAN AUTHORITY
24. U-22 squad off to Palestine for Al-Nakba Int’l Football Tournament
Islamabad, Sunday, May 13, 2012     
Pakistan Under-22 football team flew to Palestine from Lahore on Sunday to feature in the Al-Nakba International Football tournament to be held during 14-24 May. 
Source: Associated Press of Pakistan

QATAR    
25. Qatar, Kuwait National teams to feature in Champions Cricket League
KARACHI, Monday, May 7, 2012
Kuwait and Qatar national teams will be taking part in the second edition of Pakistan Champions Cricket League which will come into action from May 21.
Source: Associated Press of Pakistan

TURKEY
26. Turkish Prime Minister conferred PhD degree
ISLAMABAD, Tuesday, May 22, 2012     
Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan was conferred honorary degree of Doctor of Philosophy in International Relations from the Quaid-e-Azam University. The doctorate degree was conferred to honour his efforts in promoting understanding between civilizations, interfaith harmony, tolerance, freedom, democracy and human rights as reflected in Turkey’s dynamic foreign policy under his leadership.
Source: Associated Press of Pakistan

Compiled by Paulami Sanyal

Paulami Sanyal is pursuing research at the School of International Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi Email

As part of the policy, the MEI@ND standardizes spellings and date format to make the text uniformly accessible and stylistically consistent. The views expressed here are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views/positions of the MEI@ND. Editor, MEI@ND P R Kumaraswamy