Pakistan PM to address UN Sep 27

Pakistan's Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif will visit New York on Sep 23 to attend the UN General Assembly session, the country's foreign ministry said Thursday.

Foreign Office spokesman Aizaz Ahmed Chaudhry told media in Islamabad that during the prime minister's weeklong stay in the United States he will address the UN General Assembly Sep 27 in which he will highlight Pakistan's point of view on various regional and international issues, Xinhua reported.

The prime minister will also highlight the efforts of the present government to curb the menace of terrorism besides its endeavour to bring stability to the region.

The spokesman said Nawaz Sharif will also hold bilateral meetings with world leaders on the sidelines of the General Assembly session.

He will discuss various bilateral and regional issues with these leaders.

Azaz Chaudhry said the prime minister was expected to also attend various fora during his stay in New York to apprise the US think tanks regarding the policies of the incumbent government.

The spokesman termed the recent visit of the prime minister to Turkey as successful and positive, in which he held constructive talks with the Turkish leadership on various issues.

He said that 12 important agreements to boost bilateral cooperation in various fields were also signed.

The spokesman said both Islamabad and Washington were engaged in setting up a meeting between Prime Minister Sharif and US President Barack Obama.

He added that both India and Pakistan were also endeavouring to arrange a meeting of the prime ministers of the two countries in New York, and that both leaders were expected to consider ways to resume bilateral dialogue to resolve outstanding issues.