Obama, Sharif pledge to deepen US-Pak ties

US President Barack Obama today held wide-ranging talks with Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on thorny issues like security, nuclear safety, situation in war-torn Afghanistan and Islamabad's support to terror groups.
Welcoming Sharif for his second bilateral meeting with him, Obama said the two sides are "looking forward to using this opportunity to deepen this relationship between the United States and Pakistan".
"Obviously, the United States and Pakistan have a longstanding relationship. We work and cooperate on a whole host of issues - not just on security matters, but also on economic and scientific and educational affairs," he told reporters as he welcomed Sharif in his Oval Office.

Sharif, in his brief remarks while sitting next to Obama, said: "I look forward to a very constructive engagement with you today to add greater substance and depth to this relationship.
"The Pakistan-America relations stand over 70 years, and it is my endeavour to further strengthen and solidify this relationship."
The meeting between the two leaders comes a week after Obama said he will not pull out American troops from Afghanistan before he demits office next year.

"The visit will highlight the enduring nature of the US- Pakistan relationship and provide an opportunity to strengthen our cooperation on issues of mutual interest, including economic growth, trade and investment, clean energy, global health, climate change, nuclear security, counter-terrorism and regional stability," the White House said in a statement.

It added that the President will discuss with Sharif ways to advance "our shared interest in a stable, secure, and prosperous Pakistan" during the Pakistani premier's key four-day visit to the US at Obama's invitation.
Ahead of the meeting, Pakistani officials said that Sharif would raise the Kashmir issue with Obama.
"During the Prime Minister's visit, we will talk about the tension with India on the Line of Control," Foreign Secretary Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhry said on Monday.
"It is the responsibility of the US and the international community to help resolve the problem of Kashmir, which was the main issue with India," he added.