ISLAMABAD: US special envoy James F. Dobbins met Pakistan’s foreign policy chief Sartaj Aziz on Monday to discuss Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s upcoming meeting with US president Barack Obama in Washington.
According to a press release issued by the Foreign Office, the US Special Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan flew to Islamabad today to call on Aziz, the Adviser to Prime Minister Sharif on National Security and Foreign Affairs.
“Matters relating to Pakistan-US relations and the situation in the region were discussed. The two sides focused on preparations for the Prime Minister’s visit to Washington later this month,” said the statement.
The two diplomats were expected to finalise the agenda and potential points to be raised in the meeting between Sharif and Obama on Oct 23.
The two diplomats also discussed the withdrawal of US troops from Afghanistan by the end of 2014.
“Views were also exchanged on the Afghan peace and reconciliation process as well as issues related to Afghanistan post-2014,” said the press release from the Foreign Office.
The US embassy in Islamabad said the envoy also held meetings with Army Chief General Ashfaque Pervez Kayani and Federal Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan.
“Dobbins discussed US-Pakistani relations, regional security, and Afghanistan with Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar, Advisor to the Prime Minister on National Security and Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz, and Chief of Army Staff General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani,” said a press release from the US embassy.
Dobbins was accompanied by US Ambassador Richard Olson in the meetings.
