Pak working to maintain cordial relations with US: Sartaj Aziz

Stating that Islamabad's relations with China is time-tested, Advisor to Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Foreign Affairs, Sartaj Aziz said his country would like to maintain cordial relations with the U.S. and is working on to build convergences and addressing divergences.

"While our relations with China are time-tested, we would also like to maintain cordial relations with the US. We have stayed engaged with the US and are working on to build convergences and addressing divergences," Aziz was quoted, as saying by the Foreign Office after presiding over an envoys conference.

Talking about the CPEC, Aziz said, "Pakistan and China's collaboration on the CPEC and our reach out to Central Asian countries and connectivity to Eurasian landmass were opening new vistas of connectivity, economic opportunities and prosperity."

Aziz said that the Conference noted that Pakistan has made remarkable progress in fighting terrorism which has received worldwide recognition.

He, however, said that countries seem to be creating a negative narrative which will be deterred, rejected and countered.

On Afghanistan, Aziz said the Conference noted that there was full consensus in Pakistan that the peace in Kabul is in their national interest.

"We should, therefore, continue to work for peace in Afghanistan, effective border management and continued efforts for peace and reconciliation in Afghanistan. It was agreed to intensify engagement with Afghanistan at all level to address each other concern and to build on points of convergence," he said.