US, Pakistan meet for strategic dialogue on economy, security

US Secretary of State John Kerry met Monday with Pakistan's National Security and Foreign Affairs Adviser Sartaj Aziz, to discuss the strategic dialogue between the two countries that includes cooperation on infrastructure, trade and defense issues. In their remarks, the two senior officials highlighted Pakistan's economic growth and energy sector, as Kerry gave his full backing to Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's "goal of making Pakistan's marketplace a tiger economy for the 21st century." "I want to commend the tough choices the prime minister and his cabinet have made to reinvigorate Pakistan's economy and the commitment that you have made to engage in serious reforms that will help to tap into the enormous potential of the people of Pakistan," said Kerry. "The United States has no doubt that Prime Minister Sharif's policies will put Pakistan on a path towards a more prosperous future." "Since the fall of 2009 the United States has already helped to add 1,000 megawatts of capacity to Pakistan's grid, and we've been able to do much of it with renewable energy," he added. "We believe there are additional areas where we can collaborate in order to support greater energy production, and also improve distribution and reforms that will attract greater investment." On security matters, Kerry pointed to Afghanistan, noting that its success and safety depends on Pakistan's progress. "That is also why it remains essential for the United States and Pakistan to continue to find avenues of cooperation on counterterrorism, on nuclear security," he explained. "I think few have suffered more at the hands of terrorists and extremists than the people of Pakistan," stated Kerry. "We... have a common cause and a common obligation to be partners for one another's prosperity in the fight against those who want to limit opportunity and take Pakistan backwards." For his part, Aziz agreed that "the ongoing drawdown of ISAF forces in Afghanistan also creates new challenges and new opportunities for cooperation" and pledged Pakistan's support for "an Afghan-led reconciliation process for a peaceful and stable Afghanistan." He, however, made it clear that Pakistan should not be viewed only as a vital tool in the war on terror. "The most important prerequisite for a strategic partnership, in my view, is mutual trust at all levels and among all key institutions," said Aziz. "The second most important element from our perspective is the expectation that US will not look at Pakistan from the two specific lenses of Afghanistan and terrorism." "There is, in fact, need for a careful attention to the long-term effect of US policies on Pakistan's security," he added. "I'm sure most of you will agree that historically Pakistan's security concerns were not taken into account when the US decided to withdraw from Afghanistan in the early '90s after the defeat of the Soviet forces with Pakistan's active support, or even when invaded Afghanistan after 9/11." "All enduring relationships have to be built on the feelings and attitudes of the people and their chosen representative," expressed Aziz. Both leaders concluded their statements with an optimistic outlook for their bilateral relations, with Kerry stressing, "Where we have differences, we pledge to work through them, as friends and as partners do, in an effort to make our relationship stronger and more open for the long term."