U.S. holds Pakistan in high esteem: says Steve Hadley

WASHINGTON, Apr 30 (APP)- Ambassador Jehangir Karamat met with Stephen Hadley, the National Security Advisor to President Bush, in Mr. Hadley’s office on Friday, April 29.

At the meeting, Mr. Hadley said that the U.S. considers Pakistan as a “strategic partner” and that “U.S. holds Pakistan in high esteem for rendering valuable cooperation”. The friendship between Pakistan and the U.S., Mr. Hadley added, “is mutually advantageous”, long term and broad based.

Ambassador Karamat briefed Mr. Hadley on latest develpments in Pakistan-India relations, including the recent visit of President Pervez Musharraf to New Delhi. In addition, Ambassador Karamat discussed the progress in the relationship between Pakistan and Afghanistan.

Present at the meeting were Mr. Michael Green, the Senior Director and Special Assistant to President Bush from the National Security Council; the Deputy Chief of Mission, Mr. Mohammad Sadiq and the Political Minister, Mr. Muhammad Aslam Khan, both from the Embassy of Pakistan.