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U.S. PRESIDENT DESCRIBES PAKISTAN-US RELATIONSHIP AS “UNIQUE”. KASURI ASKS NSC ADVISOR TO PUNISH THOSE RESPONSIBLE FOR DESECRATION OF HOLY QUR’AN.
Click for more images of Foreign Minister visit Washington D.C. June 9, 2005: On the first day of his 2-day visit to Washington, Mr. Khurshid Mahmud Kasuri, Foreign Minister of Pakistan met US President George W. Bush and other senior US figures including National Security Advisor Stephen Hadley, Senator Richard Lugar - Chairman Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Senator John Warner - Chairman, Armed Services Committee and Congressman Henry Hyde - Chairman, House International Relations Committee. He held a breakfast meeting with members of Pakistan Congressional Caucus. Foreign Minister Kasuri addressed the Brookings Institution on “Pakistan-US Relations: Challenges and Opportunities”. He also gave interviews to electronic and print media. 2. President George Bush received Foreign Minister Kasuri at the Oval Office today. The two discussed a range of issues. The Foreign Minister thanked President Bush for his support to Pakistan. President Bush expressed happiness over the “unique” relationship that Pakistan and US enjoyed. Bilateral ties extended over diverse fields including political, economic, defence and other areas. Foreign Minister Kasuri underscored the need for US support to Pakistan in these areas. President Bush conveyed that he was sensitive to Pakistan’s security needs. 3. Foreign Minister Kasuri briefed the US President on the latest developments in Pakistan-India relations including the visit of All Pakistan Hurriyat Conference delegation to Pakistan and the start of Muzaffarabad-Srinagar bus service. A stage had been reached where solutions to the core issue of Kashmir needed to be discussed. This would require vision and courage. President Bush praised the bold leadership of President Pervez Musharraf and expressed the hope that the issue would be resolved to the satisfaction of all parties concerned. 4. Discussing the UN Security Council reform, Foreign Minister Kasuri stated Pakistan’s view that these be comprehensive and holistic. President Bush said that real reform was called for and agreed with the Foreign Minister that there should be no artificial deadlines. He said that principles for reforms needed to be developed. 5. At the request of President Bush, Foreign Minister Kasuri gave a comprehensive briefing on Pakistan-Afghanistan relations. 6. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, Advisor to the President on National Security Affairs Stephen Hadley, Senior Director at the National Security Council Michael Green and Assistant Secretary of State Christina Rocca were also present in the meeting. 7. Foreign Minister Kasuri separately met the US President’s National Security Advisor Stephen Hadley. Pakistan-US bilateral relations, Kashmir and Afghanistan were discussed. The Foreign Minister requested the NSC Advisor for an investigation into reports of desecration of the Holy Qur’an and urged for punishment to those responsible. The Foreign Minister underscored Pakistan’s unwavering cooperation in the international counter-terrorism efforts, the cost both human and material to Pakistan notwithstanding. The Foreign Minister also briefed him on the steps taken by the Government to establish a sustainable democratic order in Pakistan. 8. In meetings with US legislators, Foreign Minister Kasuri briefed his interlocutors on Pakistan-US bilateral relations, latest developments in Pakistan-India and Pakistan-Afghanistan relations. 9. In his address to the Brookings Institution, the Foreign Minister highlighted the various dimensions of the broad-based Pakistan-US relationship and the opportunities which existed to further enhance these ties. 10. Earlier, in his breakfast meeting the members of the Pakistan Caucus, expressed bipartisan support to promoting long-term relations between Pakistan and US in the Congress. Co-Chairs of the Caucus Congressman Dan Burton and Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee indicted their intention to send a joint letter to the leaders of Pakistan and India encouraging them to pursue the dialogue process for resolving their outstanding issues.
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