WASHINGTON, June 26: The United States said on Saturday that it looked forward to "working closely" with the new government on a variety of issues, including terrorism.

A State Department official, contacted after Prime Minister Zafarullah Khan Jamali announced his resignation, said: "We are aware of the changes in the Pakistani government." "Obviously, as with all governments, periodically, changes in the leadership (do occur)," said the official when informed that an interim prime minister had been nominated and that Finance Minister Shaukat Aziz was likely to be the next premier. "We would not comment on this internal matter," he said.

"We don't expect any major changes in US-Pakistan relations," he said.

He indicated that the US administration would continue to work with whichever government was in power in Islamabad.

"We look forward to working with the new Pakistani government in the future. We will continue to work closely with the Pakistani government, on a broad front as well as the war against terrorism," he said.