Islamabad hopes for result-oriented talks in Washington

ISLAMABAD Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani has expressed the hope that the Fourth Session of Pakistan-US Strategic Dialogue scheduled for the next week in Washington D.C. will be successful in achieving the concrete results and tangible goals set forth by both the sides. He identified power generation, water conservation, education, strengthening of the capacity of Pakistans law enforcement agencies through training and provision of equipment, besides fast tracking of the economic assistance committed through Kerry Lugar Act and under CSF and foreign military funding as the areas in which the progress could be made in the forthcoming round of talks. The Premier was talking to US Ambassador to Pakistan Anne W. Patterson, who called on him at PMs House Saturday afternoon. The Prime Minister said that Pakistan would adopt a realistic and pragmatic approach during the talks and would like to follow up on the discussions in Washington D.C. through concerted efforts by both sides. Pakistan would also like to convene the Fifth Round of Strategic Dialogue in Islamabad as soon as possible to pursue the progress on negotiations on other vital areas of envisaged cooperation, he added. The Prime Minister stated that he was looking forward to his meeting with President Obama in Washington D.C. on the sidelines of Nuclear Security Summit in April this year to pursue the implementation of decisions and carry forward discussions of Fourth Round of Strategic Dialogue. The American Ambassador apprised the Prime Minister that the US side has not had this level of Strategic Dialogue with any other country and, hence, was undertaking every possible measure to make it a success. The Prime Minister and US Ambassador also discussed the ongoing cooperation between the two countries in various fields including the regional situation. They also expressed their satisfaction over strengthening bilateral cooperation in ongoing campaign against terror.

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