Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mumtaz Zahra Baloch said in response to a question from the press that as a developing country, Pakistan was qualified to join the group, which also includes Egypt, Ethiopia and Iran.

Baloch also referred to the visit of a Russian delegation headed by Deputy Prime Minister Alexei Overchuk, with whom Pakistani officials held talks on a positive momentum in relations between the two countries.

The parties agreed to continue dialogue and cooperation in the areas of trade, industry, energy, connectivity, science, technology and education, as well as to continue consultation and coordination in multilateral forums such as the United Nations and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, the diplomat said.

In addition, she informed that a memorandum of understanding was signed between the Pakistan Mercantile Exchange and the St. Petersburg International, and an instrument of accession to the agreement on the creation and development of a Transport Corridor that includes Belarus, Russia, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Afghanistan and Pakistan.

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