Advisor on National Security and Foreign Affairs Mr. Sartaj Aziz met US Defence Secretary Chuck Hagel today at the Pentagon

The Advisor was accompanied with Khawaja Muhammad Asif, Minister for Defence and Water & Power, Ambassador Jalil Abbas Jilani, Secretary Defence Asif Yasin Malik and Chief of the General Staff Lt Gen Ishfaq Nadeem Ahmad.

US Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff General Martin Dempsey also attended the meeting.

Both sides discussed a range of issues in bilateral security cooperation and identified key priorities for the strengthening the defence partnership in the future. During the meeting, Advisor on National Security & Foreign Affairs expressed satisfaction that positive momentum in defence exchanges over the last one year has helped both sides make significant progress in a number of areas such as GLOCs, Counter IEDs cooperation and Counter terrorism. He underscored Pakistan’s commitment to fight terrorism and facilitate US drawdown from Afghanistan.

The Advisor emphasized that a forward looking, broad based and enduring defence partnership between Pakistan and the U.S was critical for security and stability in the region.

Both sides expressed the hope that forthcoming Defence Resourcing Conference will help consolidate the existing framework of bilateral security cooperation.

The meeting took place on the sidelines of Strategic Dialogue Review meeting in Washington.

January 29, 2014
Washington DC