US, Pakistan discuss wide-ranging co-operation under strategic dialogue
WASHINGTON: Pakistan and the United States on Monday discussed advancing co-operation in wide-ranging fields, including economic development, counterterrorism, education, energy, and agriculture, at the strategic partnership dialogue, co-chaired by Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi and US Deputy Secretary of State John Negroponte.
Senior Pakistani officials, including Foreign Secretary Salman Bashir, National Security Council Adviser Mahmud Ali Durrani and Ambassador Husain Haqqani assisted the foreign minister in the third round of the dialogue at the State Department, which called it a “symbol of US long-term commitment” to the South Asian anti-terrorism partner.
The dialogue also focused on security co-operation, including anti-terrorism efforts, defence supplies and coalition support fund. The two sides looked at ways to enhance co-operation for the socio-economic development of the Tribal Areas, and progress towards establishing a preferential trade programme of reconstruction opportunity zones, legislation on which is pending before US Congress.
“The strategic dialogue is a symbol of our commitment to a stable, broad-based and long-term relationship serving the interests of both the United States and Pakistan,” State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said in a statement over the weekend.
The two sides will release a joint statement at the conclusion of the meeting. app
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