ISLAMABAD/WASHINGTON, April 16: The inaugural meeting of the Pakistan-US Strategic Dialogue to be co-chaired by Foreign Secretary Riaz Mohammad Khan and the US Under-Secretary of State for Political Affairs Nicholas Burns will be held in Washington on April 26, it is reliably learnt.
Mr Khan will be leading a six-member team from Pakistan for the two-day talks that will mark the formal launching of the broad-based dialogue aimed at building a long-term, sustainable partnership.
“It will be a restricted-level affair on the first day,” say informed diplomatic sources, to be attended by the Foreign Secretary and Ambassador Jehangir Karamat from the Pakistan side and Under-Secretary Nicholas Burns plus Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asia Richard Boucher from the US side.
“The foreign secretary will be in Washington from April 25 to 29,” these sources said, adding that preparations were under way for the meeting where key issues were to be taken up by the two sides.
The dialogue acquires special significance against the backdrop of Islamabad’s demand for a ‘package approach’ on the US civilian nuclear technology deal with India and Iran’s declaration about having successfully enriched uranium to make nuclear fuel.
Apparently the Bush administration has been irked by Pakistan making ‘noises’ about the Indo-US deal that is already facing stiff opposition in the US Congress.
The decision to launch the strategic dialogue under the Pakistan-US strategic partnership was taken during the Musharraf-Bush summit talks held here on March 4.
The dialogue provides for regular consultations on bilateral, regional and global issues of mutual interest.
“The strategic dialogue would strengthen mutual understanding on these issues and foster the process of further broadening and deepening the bilateral relationship,” officials say.
A statement issued in Islamabad after the Bush-Musharraf meeting said the leaders affirmed the long-term strategic partnership between their two countries.
“The Pakistan-US strategic partnership is based on the shared interests of Pakistan and the United States in building stable and sustainable democracy and in promoting peace and security, stability, prosperity and democracy in South Asia and across the globe,” it noted.
The various components of the strategic dialogue outlined in the March 4, 2006, joint statement are: economic growth and prosperity; energy cooperation; peace and security; social sector development; science and technology; democracy and non-proliferation.
Under the proposal, the two countries will:
* Establish and implement strong financial sector controls that can defend against illicit finance.
* Facilitate Pakistan’s economic growth through increased trade and investment links with the United States and within the region and the global economy, including through an enhanced economic dialogue encompassing bilateral cooperation for Pakistan’s economic development, regional economic cooperation, and the global economy.
* The US will provide financial support for the establishment of a Centre for Entrepreneurship in Pakistan under the Broader Middle East and North Africa Initiative. The Centre will promote entrepreneurial training and skills development to young women and men to launch business initiatives that would generate employment opportunities. Hold a high-level energy meeting to inaugurate an energy working group, which will explore ways to meet Pakistan’s growing energy needs and strengthen its energy security.
* Work together to develop public and private collaboration on a broad range of energy sources.
* Build a robust defence relationship that advances shared security goals, promotes regional stability, and contributes to international security.
* Continue robust US security assistance to meet Pakistan’s legitimate defence needs and bolster its capabilities in the war on terror.
* Deepen bilateral collaboration in the fields of defence training, joint exercises, defence procurement, technology transfers, and international peacekeeping.
* Decide to increase the frequency of defence policy discussions to strengthen collaboration in the identified sectors.
* Work together to ensure the maintenance of peace, security, and stability in the South Asia region and beyond.
* Cooperate closely in international institutions, including bodies of the United Nations, on matters of mutual concern.
* Continue U.S. support in the health sector through collaborative projects and programs.
* Reinforce Pakistan’s efforts to reform and expand access to its public education through continuing US cooperation.
* Encourage educational programs and greater interaction and linkages between the research and academic institutions of the two countries.
* Promote exchange of students and scholars, fellowship programmes, and strengthened research collaboration, including through institutional support for higher education and training.
* Establish a wide-ranging high level dialogue on education to enhance and strengthen cooperation in the education sector.
* Build capacity in Pakistan and work toward increased cooperation in science, technology, and engineering.
* Improve the quality, relevance, or capacity of education and research at Pakistan’s institutions of higher education in the field of science and technology.
* Establish Pakistan-US Joint Committee on Science and Technology to develop collaborative activities and relationships between the scientific and technological communities and institutions of both countries.
* Enhance institutional capacity of Pakistan in the area of environment through exchange of experts and developing linkages and collaborative projects with relevant US institutions.
* Support Pakistan as it develops strong and transparent democratic institutions and conducts free and fair elections to ensure sustainable democracy.
* Support Pakistan’s non-proliferation efforts and strengthen its capabilities, by:
*Supporting Pakistan’s measures for implementation of its new export control law, including adoption of enforcement regulations and establishment of a new export licensing body; and
* Providing US assistance through the Department of Energy’s Second Line of Defence Programme and the Department of Homeland Security’s Container Security Initiative.
