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Summary A delegation of the US Senators called on Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani on Friday.
Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani called upon a group of United States Senators to devise a common strategy to promote relationship of Pakistan and United States beyond 2014.Gilani said, “it is also instrumental in assisting each other in intelligence sharing and defence co-operation with a view to keep the region stable.” “As friends we should accept that we have divergence of views but we should learn to trust each other as our relationship is too vital for both the countries,” stated the Prime Minister while talking to the US Senators delegation led by Robert P Casey. Other Senators of the delegation were Senator Michel Bennet, Senator Sheldon Whitehouse and Senator Richard Blumenthal.The Prime Minister reiterated that Pakistan wanted a sovereign, independent, stable and prosperous Afghanistan.The Prime Minister mentioned about his two visits to Afghanistan and the Afghan President’s visit to Pakistan, and added that the two countries shared the commonality of views over the process of reconciliation in Afghanistan. He urged that the positive messaging from the two countries would help create an enabling environment for the leadership of both countries to strengthen their bilateral relations and also deny space to the terrorists to capitalize on.The US Senators expressed their grave concern over the Improvised Explosive Devices (IED) which were killing the Pakistani and the US troops alike and there was a dire need to put in place a mechanism to regulate manufacturing, transportation, storage and distribution of ammonium nitrate used by terrorists.The Prime Minister said Pakistan had good neighbourly relations with all neighbouring countries including India and Afghanistan. The Prime Minister said it was welcome realization on the part of India that the talks between India and Pakistan should not be held hostage to terrorist attack of Mumbai. He mentioned the recent fruitful visit of Pakistan’s Foreign Minister to India and also earlier visits of the Commerce Secretary and Interior Secretary and exchanges at senior level between the two countries.US Senators appreciated the sacrifices of Pakistan and extended their sympathies with the families whose near and dear ones had lost their lives in fight against terrorists.
