September 18, 2003	Thursday	Rajab 20, 1424

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ISLAMABAD, Sept 17: Reiterating commitment of the United States to have sustained and long-term relations with Pakistan, Ambassador Nancy Powell said on Wednesday her country was trying to build a partnership with Islamabad that contributed to world peace and security.

“Today, the US government is not only interested in promoting mutual understanding between Pakistan and the United States, we are also trying to build a partnership that contributes to world peace and security,” she said while speaking at an inaugural session of the 7th American Studies Conference here.

Powell said President George Bush would reaffirm the US commitment to have long-term relations with Pakistan in coming weeks in meetings with both President General Pervez Musharraf and Prime Minister Mir Zafarullah Khan Jamali.

President Musharraf will be in New York next week to represent Pakistan at the UN General Assembly while Prime Minister Jamali will undertake a weeklong official visit to the US, beginning later this month.

Ambassador Powell referred to the “important cooperation” between the US and Pakistan in the global war on terrorism and appreciated efforts Pakistan has undertaken in the past two years to help round up members of Al Qaeda.

“The deployment of Pakistani forces in border areas where they had not before been deployed should help stabilize and control these regions, and thus ensure greater stability on both sides,” Powell said.—APP