WASHINGTON - Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi has said Pak-US talks held at the White House on Monday mark a new beginning in relations between the two countries.
He was briefing the Pakistani media after more than three hours of meetings between Pak-US delegations led by Prime Minister Imran Khan and President Donald Trump, respectively.
“President Trump has offered to mediate between Pakistan and India on the key issue of Kashmir and applauded Islamabad’s facilitation of talks between US and the Afghan Taliban,” Qureshi said.
The foreign minister described President Trump’s clear-cut stance on the Kashmir dispute as unprecedented.
Qureshi said Pakistan was looking forward to cooperative relations with the USA.
The foreign minister based his optimism on the improved climate of trust and development of rapport between Prime Minister Imran and President Trump.
“President Trump has said the U.S. wants to build a broad-based enduring partnership with Pakistan,” the foreign minister said, and added, “We have to be mindful of the fact that it is after five years that the top leaders of the two countries have met for extensive talks.”
He said both Pakistan and the United States had a common objective, and that was peace and stability in Afghanistan.
Qureshi noted that Trump had clearly said both USA and Pakistan should have great trade relations.
“Trump was appreciative of the fact that both Pakistani military and political leadership were on the same page on Afghanistan and other issues,” the foreign minister said.