Pakistan and the United States have agreed to review bilateral strategic dialogue process.
Foreign Office spokesperson Tasnim Aslam said at the weekly news briefing in Islamabad on Thursday that dates for the proposed review are being finalised. She said the review might take place in Washington.
The spokesperson said National Security and Foreign Affairs Advisor Sartaj Aziz and US Secretary of State John Kerry will co-chair the strategic review meeting.
She said there are five working groups for cooperation in different sectors and three of them have already met. The two of them on counter terrorism and defence are yet to meet.
Replying to a question‚ she said there is no confirmation of the visit of Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to Pakistan in April this year as stated by the Indian External Affairs Minister.
About resumption of the composite dialogue process between Pakistan and India‚ Tasnim Aslam said Pakistan has all along emphasized its early resumption. She said India was heading towards elections and it is not known if the process can be resumed before Indian elections.
To another question‚ the spokesperson confirmed that the Saudi Interior Minister would visit Pakistan this month but added that the dates have not been finalized as yet. She said interior ministries of the two countries were also working on an agreement to be signed on the occasion.
She said the two countries have already agreed to re-energize the Business Council and cooperate in a number of other areas including energy‚ infrastructure and investment. She said some high level visits would also take place between the two countries.
Tasnim Aslam told a questioner that Saudi Foreign Minister himself had stated that his country was not playing any role for talks between the Government and TTP.
On Pakistan cricket team’s visit to Bangladesh she said, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) will send a security team to review situation in Bangladesh before sending team for Asia T-20 tournament there.
