Pakistan terms defence partnership with US as critical for regional stability

Eurasia News

WASHINGTON: Pakistan has said that a forward looking‚ broad-based and enduring defence partnership with the United States is critical for security and stability in the region.

In a meeting with US Defence Secretary Chuck Hagel in Washington‚ the advisor to the prime minister on foreign affairs and national security Sartaj Aziz identified key priorities for strengthening the defence partnership in future.

The advisor, who is currently in Washington to attend the Pakistan-US strategic dialogue, said that positive momentum in defence exchanges over the last one year has helped both the sides make significant progress in a number of areas. He said that the two sides expressed the hope that a forthcoming Defence Resourcing Conference will help consolidate the existing framework of bilateral security cooperation.

The meeting was also attended by the federal minister for defence Khawaja Muhammad Asif and the Chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff General Martin Dempsey.