Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: The Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi underscored the need to ‘reset bilateral ties on the basis of mutual trust and respect’.

Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Quereshi shared these views in a meeting held with the American delegation headed by United States Secretary of State Mike Pompeo at the Foreign Office here on Wednesday.

During the meeting, the participants discussed ways to further strengthen Pakistan and US relations while they also held consultation over regional security.

The US secretary of state and Military Chief General Joseph Dunford are in Pakistan on a one-day visit during which they will conduct high level meetings.

Pompeo will then travel to India where he will be joined by Defense Secretary Jim Mattis to meet with their Indian counterpart on a range of key defense and trade issues.

Pompeo said he was hoping to “reset the relationship” with Pakistan. He also announced that Zalmay Khalilzad, a high profile former US ambassador, had been named to a new role to lead peace efforts in Afghanistan.

Pompeo’s conciliatory remarks toward Pakistan come days after Washington confirmed plans to cancel $300 million in military aid over Islamabad’s lack of “decisive actions” in support of American strategy in the region.

But the former CIA director, who is making his first visit as his nation’s top diplomat to the wayward ally whose support is vital in the long-running Afghan conflict, said it was time to “turn the page.”