ISLAMABAD: Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari Wednesday said that he had spoken to US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and they reaffirmed their mutual desire to further strengthen bilateral ties between Pakistan and the United States by expanding engagements in different sectors.
On his Twitter handle, the foreign minister while referring to 75 years of Pak-US relationship, stressed that they must increase people-to-people and business-to-business contacts.
According to the Foreign Office (FO), Bilawal told the senior US official that he looked forward to “frequent exchange of high-level visits”.
He also reiterated mutual commitment to deepen Pak-US ties upon the completion of 75 years of relations between the two countries.
Bilawal also tweeted about his conversation with Blinken.
“We agreed to expand our engagement in trade, energy, health & security marking 75 years of our relationship. We must increase people-to-people & business-to-business contacts,” the foreign minister said.
Bilawal and the senior US official had their first face-to-face meeting in New York on May 18 where the duo affirmed their shared desire for a strong and prosperous bilateral relationship.
“We want to focus on the work we’re doing to strengthen our economic and commercial ties between the United States and Pakistan; of course, focus on regional security,” Secretary Blinken had said.
Meanwhile, US Ambassador Donald Blome also called on State Minister for Foreign Affairs Hina Rabbani Khar today and discussed “matters of mutual interest”.
The FO quoted Khar as reiterating Pakistan’s “commitment to widen and deepen longstanding ties between Pakistan and the US”.
She also underlined the importance of people-to-people ties and congressional engagement.
Earlier, she congratulated Blome on assuming the charge as ambassador.
