US Strategic Dialogue to be co-chaired by Pakistan Foreign Secretary Riaz Mohammad Khan and US Under-Secretary of State for Political Affairs Nicholas Burns will be held in Washington on April 26, leading English language daily of Pakistan “Dawn” reported. Khan will be leading a six-member team for the two-day talks that will mark the formal launching of the broad-based dialogue aimed at building a long-term, sustainable partnership. “It will be a restricted-level affair on the first day,” say informed diplomatic sources, to be attended by the Foreign Secretary and Ambassador Jehangir Karamat from the Pakistan side and Under-Secretary Nicholas Burns plus Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asia Richard Boucher from the US side. The dialogue acquires special significance against the backdrop of Islamabad's demand for a ‘package approach' on the US civilian nuclear technology deal with India and Iran's declaration about having successfully enriched uranium to make nuclear fuel. The decision to launch the strategic dialogue under the Pakistan-US strategic partnership was taken during the President General Pervez Musharraf-President George W Bush summit talks held in Islamabad on March 4. The dialogue provides for regular consultations on bilateral, regional and global issues of mutual interest. “The strategic dialogue would strengthen mutual understanding on these issues and foster the process of further broadening and deepening the bilateral relationship,” officials said.
