WASHINGTON, Oct 24: US President Barack Obama and Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif have stressed that an enduring partnership between the United States and Pakistan was based on the principles of respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity, says a joint statement.

The statement issued after the Obama-Sharif meeting at the White House on Wednesday noted that an enduring US-Pakistan partnership was vital to regional and international security.

At their meeting, the two leaders recognised their shared interest in Pakistan’s economic growth and development, regional stability and mutually determined measures to counter terrorism, the statement said.

President Obama conveyed appreciation for Pakistan’s internal and regional security challenges and affirmed that a peaceful, prosperous and democratic Pakistan was an essential partner for the United States in the advancement of shared goals of peace, security and socio-economic development in South Asia.

The following are some salient features of the statement: Both leaders welcomed the resumption of the US-Pakistan Strategic Dialogue and reaffirmed its importance as the suitable framework for guiding the bilateral relationship. They emphasised that the dialogue should focus on people-centred initiatives and on results-oriented outcomes in support of the long-term stability, prosperity and security of both the United States and Pakistan.

They discussed the forthcoming Ministerial-level Strategic Dialogue, which Secretary Kerry would be hosting in Washington by March 2014. They also decided on the strategic priorities for the five working groups, including: 1) Law Enforcement and Counter-terrorism; 2) Economics and Finance; 3) Energy; 4) Security, Strategic Stability and Non-Proliferation; and 5) Defence Consultative Group. The leaders emphasised that both sides should work together on a range of options to enable Pakistan to overcome its energy deficiencies and that both sides would hold further discussions in the working groups on Energy and Security, Strategic Stability and Non-Proliferation. President Obama noted that US assistance in the energy sector had added over 1,000 megawatts of power to Pakistan’s national grid, helping over 16 million Pakistanis. Prime Minister Sharif thanked President Obama for US support towards the Diamer-Bhasha and Dasu dams, which are critical to meeting Pakistan’s long-term energy and water needs.

Prime Minister Sharif highlighted his keen interest in expanding bilateral trade and investment, and the two leaders reaffirmed their commitment to this end. They pledged to continue this discussion through the Strategic Dialogue process and noted that the US-Pakistan Trade and Investment Framework Agreement (TIFA) was the key vehicle to promote US investments in Pakistan.

Expressing satisfaction at the implementation of the 2003 Agreement on Science and Technology Cooperation between the United States and Pakistan and acknowledging its significance in promoting a decade of intensified cooperation between the two countries, the two leaders decided to extend the agreement through 2018. They also discussed the importance of investing in Pakistan’s growing youth population through high-quality education programmes.

Prime Minister Sharif conveyed appreciation for US security assistance in support of Pakistan’s counter-terrorism, counter-insurgency, counter-narcotics and maritime security operations and expressed hope of broadening defence cooperation in areas that serve mutual interest. To bolster these efforts, the United States plans to continue providing assistance and support, including training and equipment to Pakistan’s military and security services. President Obama noted Pakistan’s positive efforts to counter improvised explosive devices (IEDs) and both leaders resolved to continue working together to disrupt the threat posed by these devices.

Counter-terrorism

Both President Obama and Prime Minister Sharif condemned terrorism in all its forms and manifestations. The prime minister shared his perspective on effective counter-terrorism cooperation to achieve the mutual objective of defeating terrorism. President Obama thanked Prime Minister Sharif for Pakistan’s efforts to help defeat Al-Qaeda, and both leaders expressed their deep appreciation for the sacrifices of military personnel and civilians in the fight against terrorism and extremism. They emphasised that no country’s territory should be used to destabilise its neighbours. Further, they noted that extremism and terrorism represented a common challenge for humanity and that the solution lay in collaboration and joint efforts by the international community.

The two leaders emphasised that nuclear terrorism is one of the most challenging threats to international security. President Obama appreciated Pakistan’s constructive engagement with the Nuclear Security Summit process and its cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency and other international forums, while acknowledging Pakistan’s efforts to improve its strategic trade controls and enhance its engagement with multilateral export regimes.

The president and the prime minister reaffirmed that a peaceful, stable, independent and united Afghanistan is in the interest of the region. They welcomed the ongoing security transition in Afghanistan and Afghan-led preparations for next April’s presidential elections. They recognised the important role of countries in the region in supporting Afghanistan’s progress towards stability and prosperity and stressed that continued engagement by the international community in Afghanistan’s economic and social development and reconstruction would be essential in ensuring the long-term security and prosperity of the Afghan people.