ISLAMABAD: The resumption of strategic dialogue between the US and Pakistan, bilateral subjects of conspicuous significance including enhancement or economic ties and increase of trade from Pakistan to the US and regional situation, will top the agenda when the US Secretary of State, John Kerry, visits Islamabad next week.
The precise schedule of the visit of the US Secretary State would be known by Monday.
The US President Barack Obama’s special representative for the region James Robbins will also accompany the secretary of state in the trip.
The US Ambassador to Pakistan Richard Olson had a meeting with Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif here at the Prime Minister office (PMO) yesterday and had discussion with him about the much-awaited visit of Secretary John Kerry.
Federal finance minister Senator Muhammad Ishaq Dar was also attended the meeting while Sharif’s National Security and Foreign Affairs Adviser Sartaj Aziz wasn’t present in the meeting.
PM’s special assistant on Foreign Affairs Tariq Fatemi represented the Foreign Office in the meeting.
The PMO has stated that the meeting was held in advance for the visit of US Secretary of State John F Kerry who is likely to visit Pakistan in the coming few days.
The ambassador shared with the prime minister US priorities relating to the visit and also took the opportunity to brief the prime minister on Pakistan-US relations and the regional situation.
The prime minister affirmed to the ambassador his commitment to a strong and cooperative relationship with the US.
He also reiterated Pakistan’s full commitment to all initiatives designed to promote peace and stability in Afghanistan and informed the ambassador of the recent visit of his advisor on national security and foreign affairs to Kabul.
The prime minister also conveyed to Ambassador Olson that he looked forward to receiving Secretary Kerry and sharing views on the present state of the relationship, and also wanted to share a vision of future bilateral relations.
Meanwhile well-placed sources said on Saturday that Pakistan and US had held strategic dialogue way back in October 2010 when former foreign minister Shah Mahmoood Qureshi held talks with his US counterpart Hillary Clinton.
Internews
