Kerry to host Sartaj Aziz for US-Pak strategic dialogue

US Secretary of State John Kerry will host Pakistan's National Security and Foreign Affairs Advisor here on January 27 for the US-Pak strategic dialogue ministerial meeting.
"The United States and Pakistan are committed to continued cooperation between our governments and between the American and Pakistani people across a wide range of issues, which are in both our countries' interests," State Department Spokesperson Jen Psaki said today.
The strategic dialogue ministerial meeting, provides a platform for a focused discussion on core shared interests, she said.
Kerry announced plans to hold this meeting during his August visit to Pakistan.
"The Strategic Dialogue will report on progress achieved over the past six months, and identify opportunities for increased partnership, in areas of bilateral cooperation, including law enforcement and counterterrorism, economic growth and finance, energy, defence, and strategic stability," Psaki said.

This would be the first high-level meeting between the two countries after the October visit of Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to the White House during which he met US President Barack Obama.
The announcement comes a day after Deputy Secretary of State William Burns met the new Pak Ambassador Jalil Abbas Jilani, during which the two "underscored" that both the countries "look forward to deepening these discussions" during the upcoming strategic dialogue meeting.
Burns welcomed Jilani in his new role as Ambassador and noted that "we look forward to continuing our productive working relationship", a State Department statement said.