US shouldn’t escalate regional instability: Sartaj

ISLAMABAD: Adviser to the PM on National Security and Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz has said that the United States should not escalate instability in the region.
In a media interview on Saturday, he said that Pakistan qualified for becoming member of the Nuclear Suppliers Group.
He assured that there would be no compromise on national interests during talks with the United States.
Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif will undertake a four-day official visit to the United States from October 20 to 23 during which he will meet high-level US officials, including President Barrack Obama.
The adviser said that during the forthcoming visit of the prime minister to Washington, the two sides will have an exchange of views on a number of issues of mutual, regional and global interests.
Sartaj Aziz said that the two sides would discuss ways to boost cooperation between the two countries in the defence field. “Pakistan wants to promote economic ties with the United States,” he said.
The adviser further said that the situation in Afghanistan would also come under discussion during the meeting between Nawaz Sharif and Obama.
“Pakistan is willing to facilitate the holding of a second round of peace talks between the Afghan government and Taliban if the Afghan government so desires,” he said.
Sartaj Aziz has said that there will be no compromise on national interests during talks with the United States.
Nawaz Sharif is expected to hold a meeting with President Obama on October 22. “During the visit, the prime minister will brief the US leadership on Pakistan’s policies for the revival of the economy, the fight against terrorism and the regional situation,” the Foreign Office Spokesman Qazi Khalilullah has said.
“Discussions will also be held on bilateral cooperation in the fields of the economy, trade, education, defence, counter-terrorism, health and climate change,” Khalilullah added.