Pakistan-US to hold follow-up strategic dialog

Islamabad, June 9, IRNA -- Pakistan and the United States will hold follow-up Sectoral meetings in Islamabad this month to push forward the process of comprehensive Pakistan-US engagement, initiated at the Pakistan-US Strategic Dialog held in March in Washington.

Both countries had established a Policy Steering Group in the ministerial-level strategic dialogue to intensify and expand the sectoral dialogue process.

The Sectoral meetings included, Defence, Science & Technology, Economy, Trade, Agriculture, Water, Energy, Law Enforcement & Counter Terrorism, Women Empowerment, Health, Education, Security, Stability and Non-Proliferation, Communication and Public Diplomacy, the Foreign Ministry said. No date was given in the Ministry's statement.

Pakistan attaches considerable importance to the upcoming meetings which are meant to broaden and deepen the spirit of partnership between Pakistan and the United States, the ministry’s spokesman said.

The decision to launch the strategic dialog under Pakistan-US strategic partnership was taken during the March 4, 2006 summit talks between then Pakistani president Pervez Musharraf and his then US counterpart George Bush.

Last year Pakistan and the US had agreed to raise strategic dialogue to the ministerial level. The dialog is the first since President Obama has announced new strategy for the region./end