WASHINGTON – The Special Assistant to the Prime Minister (SAPM), Syed Tariq Fatemi met with the National Security Adviser Dr. Susan Rice at the White House this afternoon. Ambassador Jalil Abbas Jilani accompanied the SAPM.
The meeting was held in a cordial atmosphere and lasted for over an hour. Both sides discussed wide ranging issues of mutual interest in the areas of peace and security, counter terrorism, defense and economic cooperation.
During the meeting, the SAPM briefed Dr. Rice on Pakistan’s unprecedented successes in counter terrorism, highlighting the sacrifices rendered by the people and security forces.
The SAPM also gave a briefing on the current regional situation and drew the attention of Dr. Rice to the massive and systematic human rights violations in the Indian Occupied Kashmir. The recent escalation on the border and cease fire violations by the Indian forces were also discussed and the SAPM made a particular reference to the killing of innocent civilians, as a result of in-discriminatory fire by the Indian forces across the line of control and the working boundary.
NSA Rice stressed that the United States attached the highest importance to its relations with Pakistan and expressed satisfaction with the progress made by both in enhancing their cooperation in multiple fields. She appreciated Pakistan’s efforts to promote peace and stability in the region and commended its participation in the Heart of Asia Conference held in Amritsar last week.
Dr. Rice also expressed her concern on the increasing escalation at the LoC. while affirming that the United States stood for dialogue and meaningful cooperation among the countries of the region.
The Special Assistant to the Prime Minister is in Washington on the first high level visit from Pakistan after the November elections in the United States.
