News
Sunday, March 14, 2010
‘Pak-US strategic dialogue will reduce trust deficit’* Prime minister says govt’s objective is to develop solid, enduring framework for long-term relationship
Staff Report
ISLAMABAD: Strategic dialogue between Pakistan and the US will help reduce the “trust deficit” by increasing long-term people-to-people relations between the two nations, Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani said on Saturday.
The first meeting of the upgraded strategic dialogue will be held on March 24 in Washington, where a high-level delegation, led by Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi, will represent Pakistan, while US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton will head the US side.
“The objective of strategic dialogue is to enhance people-to-people relationships, which can bridge the trust deficit,” Gilani said, addressing a meeting held to develop a comprehensive, coherent and well-coordinated approach for a strategic dialogue.
Chief of Army Staff General Ashfaq Kayani, Water and Power Minister Raja Pervaiz Ashraf, federal secretaries and senior security officials also attended the meeting.
Relationship: Addressing the meeting, Gilani said his government’s objective was not only to upgrade the status of dialogue to enhance Pak-US partnership to the ministerial level, but also to develop a solid and enduring framework for long-term ties.
He directed all the ministries concerned to identify specific programmes and projects in each sector in line with the national development priorities and clearly indicate priority areas that require support and technical assistance.
Meanwhile, sources said Gen Kayani wants the dialogue to succeed and visited the Foreign Office on Friday to discuss it with Foreign Minister Qureshi. Kayani would be part of the delegation and play a key role in defence-related talks.
Courtesy www.dailytimes.com.pk