WASHINGTON: The United States has appreciated Pakistan’s role in facilitating reconciliation between the Afghan government and the Taliban, says a statement issued in Washington on Tuesday.

In a meeting with Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Foreign Affairs Syed Tariq Fatemi in Washington, US Deputy Secretary of State Toney Blinken also appreciated Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s efforts to reach out to India and Afghanistan and hoped that the initiative would help bring peace and prosperity to the region.

Mr Blinken lauded “Pakistan’s role in facilitating the reconciliation process between Afghan government and the Taliban,” said a statement issued by the Pakistan Embassy in Washington.

Mr Fatemi arrived in the US capital earlier this week for a series of meetings with American officials and lawmakers and to finalise the prime minister’s expected visit to the US in October this year.

On Tuesday, Mr Fatemi also met the Acting Administrator USAID Alfonso Lenhardt and the two reviewed the state of economic cooperation and USAID work and assistance for projects in Pakistan.

In the earlier meeting, Mr Fatemi and Mr Blinken reviewed the state of US-Pakistan relations and expressed satisfaction over its growing momentum and positive trajectory.

Both sides acknowledged that high-level interactions between the leadership of the two countries had contributed significantly to strengthening bilateral cooperation on economy, regional stability, and countering extremism and terrorism.

Pakistan’s ambassador Jalil Abbas Jilani and US Special Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan Dan Feldman also attended the meeting.

Mr Fatemi briefed Mr Blinken on the prime minister’s consistent policy of outreach to Pakistan’s neighbours and his commitment to maintaining cordial relations with all its neighbours, including Afghanistan and India.

“Mr Blinken appreciated Pakistan’s stabilising role in the region and the efforts made by the prime minister for reaching out to Pakistan’s neighbours,” said the embassy’s spokesperson Nadeem Hotiana.

Mr Fatemi also apprised Mr Blinken of the steps taken by the government over the last two years to implement its economic agenda, while highlighting the progress made in achieving economic stability and investor confidence.

Mr Fatemi also briefed the Deputy Secretary of State on the ongoing law-enforcement operations in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas aimed at eliminating all militants.

He thanked the US for its continued support to Pakistan for its political and economic stability and its efforts to bring regional peace and harmony.

Mr Blinken assured the Pakistani envoy of continued US engagement

with the region and reiterated US support to the prime minister’s economic development plans with special focus on energy and countering extremism and militancy.

Published in Dawn, July 22th, 2015

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