September 30, 2008	Tuesday	Ramazan 29, 2008

WASHINGTON, Sept 29: The United States and Pakistan began their first elevated strategic dialogue here on Monday focussing on security relations and economic ties.

US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice attended the inaugural session while Deputy Secretary of State John Negroponte led the US team in other sessions. Assistant Deputy Secretary of State for Central and South Asia Richard Boucher assisted him.

Foreign Minister Mahmood Qureshi led the Pakistani delegation, which included senior officials from the ministries of foreign affairs, finance, defence and agriculture.

These are the first talks with an elevated structure and are focussing on security relations, defence cooperation, economic ties and energy crisis.

The two sides will also review their efforts for economic development in the tribal areas and for establishing the so-called Reconstruction Opportunity Zones for the tribal belt.

Goods produced in these ROZs can be exported to the United States without duties. The zones, proposed by the US administration, aim at creating employment in the tribal areas as a strategy for fighting terrorism.

A joint statement will be issued at the end of the talks, detailing the decisions taken.

The two countries decided to establish a forum for strategic dialogue in March 2006 and since then two rounds have already been held.

The third round was due in October last year but was deferred.

Earlier, the dialogue was held at the foreign secretary level, but the two countries decided to raise the level during Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani’s visit to Washington in July.

The strategic dialogue initially featured once a year but later the frequency was increased to twice a year. The first round took place in April 2006 in Washington.

But this is the first meeting under the new structure proposed by Mr Gilani.