WASHINGTON The White House has set at rest speculations that President Barack Obama might make a side trip to flood-hit Pakistan after his early November visit to India, saying the US leader would go to Pakistan next year. Obama joined a meeting between his top advisers and visiting Pakistani delegation for 45 minutes to discuss mutual issues and assuage concern about his trip to India. The President explained that he would not be stopping in Pakistan during his trip to Asia next month, and committed to visiting Pakistan in 2011, the White House said in a statement. The Presidents meeting came as part of a three-day strategic dialogue between senior American and Pakistani officials, including the foreign minister, Shah Mahmood Qureshi and the military chief, Gen. Ashfaq Parvez Kayani. The President also said he looked forward to welcoming Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari to Washington, though no dates were specified. Relations between the countries have been strained lately after a helicopter strike on a border post killed three Pakistani soldiers and Islamabad responded by temporarily closing a critical supply line to US troops in Afghanistan. American drone strikes against suspected terrorist targets in the Pakistani tribal regions have escalated in recent weeks. At the same time, talks between the Afghan government and Taliban commanders to find a way to end the nine-year-old American-led war have further complicated relations with Pakistan, which fears being cut out of any eventual settlement. Foreign Minister Qureshi emphasised Pakistans interest in developments in Afghanistan during his speech to the Brookings Institute, an American think-tank. Pakistan has a vital stake in a peaceful and stable Afghanistan. Respect for Pakistans legitimate concerns and solutions on the basis of common interests would be most durable, he told the audience. The strategic dialogue, which continues through Friday, will also address a possible multiyear security pact and flood reconstruction assistance. We see this as an opportunity to move beyond the recent period and strengthen our relationship in a number of areas, a senior administration official was quoted as saying in The New York Times. The President also met for 90 minutes Wednesday with his national security team to talk about Afghanistan and Pakistan. The White House statement said they discussed the need to increase pressure on extremist safe havens in Pakistan as well as efforts to support Afghan-led reintegration and reconciliation. The official said Pakistan was the biggest focus of the meeting and there was not extensive discussion of the Afghan peace talks. Gen. David Petraeus provided an update on operations in Afghanistan, including in the Kandahar area where the Taliban historically has been strong. Obama plans to leave for Asia after the midterm election on Nov. 2, visiting India, Indonesia, Japan and South Korea. Foreign Minister Qureshi said Obamas statement was evidence of the high level of US-Pakistani ties. The fact that he has agreed to visit Pakistan next year, the fact that he has decided to invite the President of Pakistan to the United States of America, that is the level of engagement that is taking place, Qureshi said. But in a recent report to Congress, the White House said bluntly that though Pakistan had made sacrifices in the US anti-terror campaign, it could do more to crack down on extremist safe-havens in lawless tribal areas. In the meeting with Pakistani delegates, Obama said it was important to move the mutual relationship to a true partnership based on mutual respect and common interests. The President and the Pakistani delegation agreed on the need for regional stability, and specifically on the importance of cooperating toward a peaceful and stable outcome in Afghanistan, the statement said.