US to furnish new wish list after F-16s deal: State Dept

By our correspondents
February 28, 2016

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Says terrorism threat to both Pakistan and India and their cooperation is a must to fight the menace; Pak-US strategic dialogue to take place on Monday

WASHINGTON: The State Department on Friday said the United States would forward its wish list to Pakistan after the F-16s deal.

State Department spokesman Mark Toner said this during a regular briefing here when a questioner asked what would be the agenda of the Pak-US Strategic talks, and secondly what would be the new US wish list, especially after the F-16s deal with Pakistan.

“You are correct, sir, that the strategic dialogue will take place on Monday, and we obviously look forward to it. It’s very important. I don’t have a set agenda in front of me. I mean, obviously some of the issues won’t surprise anyone. It’s about strengthening security and stability in the region, about increasing trade, looking at the many different problems and threats in the region, including terrorism that we’ve talked a lot about. But as we – we’ll have a better readout to give you on Monday,” said Toner.

Terrorism was a threat to both Pakistan and India and their cooperation in fighting the menace is helpful to the region, the State Department said on Friday.

To a question about cooperation between the two countries, especially in dealing with terrorist incidents, spokesman Mark Toner said the US had been very vocal in the past in encouraging greater cooperation between India and Pakistan. Clearly terrorism is a threat to both countries and they can cooperate on these kinds of issues which will be helpful to the region, the spokesman said.

The spokesman described the US-Pakistan strategic dialogue, which will take place on Monday, as very important and said the US administration looked forward to it.

The dialogue is about strengthening security and stability in the region.

It also looks at increasing trade and looking at many different problems and threats in the region, he added when asked about the agenda.

Adviser to the Prime Minister on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz was due to arrive in Washington this weekend to represent Pakistan at the sixth round of ministerial level Pakistan-US strategic dialogue to be held in Washington.

Secretary of State John Kerry will lead the US side.

This will be the third annual meeting since the government assumed office in 2013.

The six segments of the strategic dialogue include cooperation in economy and finance energy, education, science and technology, law enforcement and counter terrorism, security, strategic stability and non-proliferation and defence.

Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s visit to the US in October 2015 had provided necessary impetus and direction to the dialogue mechanism.

The upcoming meeting will afford an important opportunity to take stock of the entire gamut of Pakistan’s bilateral relations with the United States.

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