Qureshi reaffirms Pak desire for strategic partnership with US

NEW YORK: Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi on Friday spoke with Republican Senator James Risch on the sidelines of his United Nations-related engagements in New York.Senator Risch is the Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

The foreign minister, during the telephonic conversation, reaffirmed Pakistan’s desire for a broad based, strategic partnership with the United States that would advance the two countries’ shared interests in the bilateral and regional spheres.

He highlighted Pakistan’s commitment to facilitating efforts for achieving an inclusive political settlement in Afghanistan. He stressed the importance of a stable and broad-based government in Afghanistan to ensuring that Afghan territory is not exploited by transnational terrorist groups ever again.

Qureshi noted that while it was important to hold the Taliban to their commitments, the international community must help the Afghan people deal with the growing humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan. Senator Risch agreed with the FM on the need for continued cooperation between the two countries for peace in Afghanistan. Meanwhile, Qureshi met the Foreign Minister of Japan Motegi Toshimitsu and exchanged views on bilateral relations.