ISLAMABAD - A four-member bipartisan delegation of the Subcommittee on Defence of the United States House Appropriations Committee (HAC) held a meeting with Foreign Secretary Aizaz Ahmed Chaudhry in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Friday.
The delegation was led by sub-committee Chairman Representative Rodney P Frelinghuysen and included Congressman Representative Peter Visclosky, Representative James Moran and Representative Kenneth Calvert. The US Ambassador to Pakistan Richard Olson also attended the meeting.
Pakistan-US bilateral relations including economic, security and counter-terrorism issues as well as the regional situation were discussed during the meeting. The foreign secretary highlighted to the legislators the government’s focus on economic, particularly the energy sector. Pakistan’s commitment to promote relations with its neighbours for regional security and stability were underscored.
The foreign secretary stressed on the importance of Pakistan’s relations with the United States of America. He noted the upward trajectory in bilateral relations as manifest in the ministerial review of the Pakistan-US Strategic Dialogue held in Washington last month. He also appreciated the US assistance to Pakistan in support of its counter-terrorism efforts.
The US visiting congressmen acknowledged the importance of Pakistan-US relationship especially in the current international environment and reiterated support to the consolidation of democracy in Pakistan.
The US side also appreciated Pakistan’s efforts for countering terrorism and its role in the promotion of regional peace and prosperity, especially in the backdrop of US forces drawdown from Afghanistan during the current year.