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NEW YORK: US senator Bob Menendez asked US Secretary of State Antony Blinken to urge President Joe Biden to have a conversation with Prime Minister Imran Khan in an effort to rebuild the relationship between two countries.
Bob Menendez, chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, underscored the need for such conversations. “I think it would serve us well to have such a conversation and, you know when we have these conversations, they are honest, and that means they are also transparent,” he added.
The event took place at the residence of Dr Tariq Ibrahim, an APPAC board member, in Franklin Lakes, New Jersey. Dr Ijaz Ahmad, the president of APPAC, was among those present, as was Asad Chaudhry, another board member.
Such a course, Menendez said, means “where there is an agreement, we build upon it and where there is disagreement, we talk about how do we get through that disagreement.”
“And if we can rebuild on it, we, I hope, can expand on it — not just about Pakistan in the context of a military or security dimension, but much greater; there is tremendous opportunity to build upon the economic dynamism that we create,” he added.
US Deputy Secretary of State Wendy R Sherman, who was recently in Pakistan, had said she believed the US president will soon talk to PM Imran Khan.
“We have an idea that every country wants to have a telephone conversation with US President. I am sure that this conversation will be held with Imran Khan soon,” the top US diplomat had said during an interaction with a group of editors.
President Joe Biden, who assumed office in January this year, has not telephoned Prime Minister Imran Khan amid statements from key US functionaries that it would happen soon.
