HOLBROOKE: STRATEGIC DIALOGUE WITH PAKISTAN INTENSIFIES PARTNERSHIP

WASHINGTON, March 20 (NNN-KUNA) — US Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan Richard Holbrooke said on Friday that the first strategic dialogue between the United States and Pakistan next week “marks a major intensification of our partnership”.

“President (Barack) Obama and Secretary (of State Hillary) Clinton have long stressed the breadth and depth of the US-Pakistan relationship. This is a partnership that goes far beyond security, but security is an important part of it. It represents a shared commitment on the part of both nations to strengthening the bilateral relationship and building an even broader partnership based on mutual respect and mutual trust”, said Holbrooke in a press briefing.
This first Strategic Dialogue at the Ministerial level will be held in Washington on March 24 and will be co-chaired by Clinton and Foreign Minister Makhdoom Shah Mahmood Qureshi, a dialogue that will focus on security cooperation, economic development, water and energy, education, communications and public diplomacy, agriculture, and security.