Washington: Pakistan and the US will hold their first ministerial-level Strategic Dialogue in three years on Monday, during which they will review a wide range of issues, including Pakistan's peace process with India.
Sartaj Aziz, Advisor to the Prime Minister on Foreign Affairs, today left for Washington to lead the Pakistani side at the talks that are expected to frame a blueprint to boost the bilateral relationship. The US side will be led by Secretary of State John Kerry.
Ahead of the meeting, State Department officials said the US is “interested in Pakistan's relationship with India and seeing improvements in that”. The US will “encourage both sides in that regard”, they said.
“We have a strong interest in improving relations between Pakistan and India and avoiding the slightest danger of a conflict that could escalate to a nuclear war that would affect every country in the world. These are all pretty important interests,” an unnamed State Department official was quoted as saying by Pakistan's state-run APP news agency.The officials said Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif had emphasised the need for better relations with India.
