ISLAMABAD-
Prime Minister (PM) Nawaz Sharif on Monday met US Ambassador to Pakistan Richard Olson and discussed all the crucial matters pertaining to Pak-US relations, private media reported.
The US envoy had called on the premier at his official residence in the federal capital and the matters relating to Pak-US relations with particular reference to the scheduled visit of US Secretary of State John Kerry came under discussion.
Both the sides hoped that all aspects of Pakistan-US ties would be discussed and cooperation would be reviewed during the upcoming strategic dialogue scheduled to take place in Islamabad on January 14.
Finance Minister Ishaq Dar and Special Assistant to PM on Foreign Affairs Tariq Fatemi were also present at the meeting.
Policy points were also finalized to be discussed with Secretary Kerry.
The strategic dialogue scheduled for Jan 14 would be the second ministerial-level meeting since the dialogue resumed in 2013. Three editions were held in quick succession in 2010 before the dialogue was suspended in the aftermath of the May 2011 Abbottabad Operation.
The discussions would focus on how to advance bilateral engagement.
The Pak-US strategic dialogue currently covers five areas of bilateral cooperation which are discussed through working groups. The areas are energy; security, strategic stability and non-proliferation; the defence consultative group; law-enforcement and counter-terrorism; and economy and finance.
