ISLAMABAD: US Secretary of State Antony Blinken made a maiden telephone call to Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and invited him to a food security meeting at the UN headquarters in New York in May 18, the Foreign Office said.
The two-day ministerial conference will focus on the threat to global food security, triggered by the Russian invasion of Ukraine, and will be chaired by Antony Blinken himself.
During the telephonic conversation, Secretary Blinken congratulated his Pakistani counterpart on the assumption of his office and expressed the desire to continue strengthening the mutually beneficial Pakistan-US bilateral relationship.
Exchanging views on various aspects of Pakistan-U.S. relations, the Foreign Minister underscored that Pakistan and the United States have a longstanding broad-based relationship.
He added that constructive and sustained engagement between the two countries on the basis of mutual respect and mutual interest was vital to promote peace, development and security in the region and beyond. Bilawal emphasized that Pakistan’s vision was focused on human development, regional connectivity, and a peaceful neighborhood.
Building on the Pakistan-US cooperation in dealing with the Covid-19 pandemic during the last two years, Secretary Blinken invited Pakistan to the Second Global Summit to be held virtually later this month.
The two-day ministerial meeting that Pakistan’s young foreign minister has been invited to precedes a UN Security Council debate on ‘Conflict and Food Security’. The US says that since the Feb 24 invasion, Russia has blocked Ukraine’s ports, causing the suspension of food supplies to the Middle East and Africa.
Pakistan’s participation in a UN meeting that highlights the problems caused by the Russian invasion would be a major departure from the policies of the previous PTI government.
The ministerial conference in New York would be Bilawal’s first participation in a multilateral meeting since becoming foreign minister late last month.
“Received a call from Secretary Blinken. Grateful for warm felicitations on my assumption of office,” Bhutto-Zardari said in a tweet he posted after the call.
“Exchanged views on: “Strengthening mutually beneficial, broad-based relationship, promotion of peace, development & security and agreed engagement with mutual respect is the way forward between the US and Pakistan,” he wrote.
Received call from @SecBlinken grateful for warm felicitations on my assumption of office. Exchanged views on:
-Strengthening mutually beneficial, broadbased relationship
-Promotion of peace,development & security
-Agreed engagement with mutual respect is the way forward ????????????????????— BilawalBhuttoZardari (@BBhuttoZardari) May 6, 2022
A US State Department readout of telephone call highlighted several key points of the conversation that focused on strengthening the bilateral relationship and working together to stabilize Afghanistan.
Spokesperson Ned Price said that Secretary Blinken “reiterated the desire to strengthen our broad-based bilateral relationship.” The secretary, he said, underscored “the resolute US-Pakistan commitment” to Afghan stability and combatting terrorism. The secretary and foreign minister also highlighted ongoing engagement on trade and investment, climate, energy, health, and education, Mr. Price added.
He noted that this year marks the 75th anniversary of US-Pakistani relations and “we look forward to strengthening our cooperation.”
