ISLAMABAD, Sept 11: Pakistan and the US are all set to open the much delayed second round of their strategic dialogue here on Wednesday to consider new proposals and review bilateral cooperation in diverse fields, including energy, security, education and development.

The inaugural session of the dialogue was held in Washington in April 2006.

The talks will be held at the Foreign Office and co-chaired by foreign secretary Riaz Mohammad Khan on the Pakistani side and Deputy Secretary of State John D. Negroponte on the US side.

While some members of the US Deputy Secretary Negroponte’s delegation are already in town, he is scheduled to arrive here on Wednesday morning along with Assistant Secretary of State Richard Boucher.

In the first round of dialogue, the US side was led by the Under-secretary for Political Affairs Nicholas Burns but subsequently the Bush Administration upgraded it to the level of deputy secretary.

“During the strategic dialogue, both sides are expected to cover bilateral relations and regional and global issues of common interest. Among other things, the two sides would review progress in dialogues in four identified areas — economy, energy, education and science & technology — and agree on next steps,” Foreign Office Spokesperson Tasnim Aslam said.