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Pakistani ministers, army chief arrive for strategic dialogue with US
WASHINGTON, Oct 20 (APP): A high-level Pakistani delegation, comprising federal ministers and army chief arrived here Tuesday afternoon to attend the Strategic Dialogue with the United States on advancing mutual cooperation in a broad range of development and security fields.Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton will lead their respective sides at three-day discussions to forge a wide-ranging partnership, considered critical to peace, security and development in the region.The Pakistani side includes Finance Minister Dr Abdul Hafeez Shaikh, Information Minister Qamar Zaman Kaira, Defense Minister Chaudhry Ahmed Mukhtar, Water and Power Minister Raja Pervaiz Ashraf, Agriculture Minister Nazar Muhammad Gondal and federal secretaries of some other ministries.As part of the dialogue, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates and Navy Adm.Mike Mullen are to meet with Pakistani Army Chief of Staff Gen. Ashfaq Parvez Kayani at the Pentagon on Wednesday, U.S. and Pakistani defense leaders also are scheduled to meet to discuss American military aid, counterinsurgency strategy, and flood relief.
Federal Information and Broadcasting Minister Qamar Zaman Kaira will lead the Pakistani team in discussions on public diplomacy and information technology with top US officials at the State Department. The information minister will be assisted by Ambassador Husain Haqqani, Secretary Information Mansur Sohail and Secretary information technology Naguibullah Malik.
The U.S. side will be led by Under Secretary of State Judith Michale. The Pakistani officials and their US counterparts will also discuss expanding cooperation in water and agricultural fields on Wednesday.
Pakistan will also seek greater trade access for its textile products during the strategic dialogue which will have plenary session on Friday.
A separate session during the strategic dialogue will focus on US support for Pakistan’s recovery from devastating floods this summer, which according to World Bank and Asian Development Bank, inflicted a loss of more than nine billions dollars on the country.
Courtesy www.app.com.pk