WASHINGTON, March 10: The United States and Pakistan have agreed to continue talks for improving bilateral relations, says a senior US official.

Deputy Secretary of State Tom Nides also said that the US had provided over $2.6 billion in civilian assistance to Pakistan sinceOctober 2009, including about $800 million in emergency flood relief.

On Friday afternoon, Mr Nides met Pakistan’s Minister of State for Investment Saleem Mandviwalla, at the State Department.

An hour after this meeting, Deputy Secretary Nides also met Pakistan’s Ambassador to the US Sherry Rehman.

Before these meetings, he held an early morning video conference with officials at the US Embassy in Islamabad.

In a statement issued by his office after the meetings, Mr Nides assured the Pakistanis that the United States remained committed to a long-term relationship with them.

Ambassador Rehman and Deputy Secretary Nides also “agreed to continue such conversations to ensure transparency and clarity on US assistance to Pakistan”, the statement said.

Mr Mandviwalla also had a separate meeting with US Undersecretary for Economic Growth, Energy and the Environment Robert Hormats.