WASHINGTON, April 30: Stephen Hadley, National Security Advisor to President Bush, has said that the United States considers Pakistan its “strategic partner.” He said this in a meeting with Ambassador Jehangir Karamat in his office on Friday.

“The United States holds Pakistan in high esteem for rendering valuable cooperation,” he stated. This friendship, Mr Hadley added, was “mutually advantageous, multi-year and broad based”.

In the meeting, of Pakistan-US relations were reviewed. Jehangir Karamat briefed the presidential advisor on the latest developments in Pakistan-India relations and the New Delhi-visit of President General Pervez Musharraf.

Besides, recent progress in respect of Pakistan-Afghanistan relationship was also discussed.

Senior Director and Special Assistant to President Bush at NSC White House Mike Green and Deputy Chief Mohammad Sadiq and Political Secretary Muhammad Aslam Khan of the Pakistani mission were also present on the occasion.

—APP