Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari has again called on the United States to specify clear and unambiguous terms of engagement in the war against terrorism in order to avoid adverse impacts on their bilateral relations.
Talking to visiting US Senator John McCain at the Presidency, Zardari said that Pakistan wants to build a long-term, sustainable and multidimensional relationship with the US, marked by mutual understanding of each other's interest, mutual trust and respect.
"We need to build framework for an enduring strategic partnership," the Daily Times quoted Zardari, as saying.
He said that a stable, long-term and multifaceted relationship of the two countries was not only in their mutual interests, but would also serve the purpose of stability in the region.
US Ambassador to Pakistan, Cameron P Munter, accompanied McCain, while the Pakistani side included Interior Minister Rehman Malik and the Secretary General to the President, M Salman Faruqui.
Matters concerning Pak-US relations, the ongoing war on terror and the regional situation were discussed during the meeting.
Briefing the media after the meeting, Presidential Spokesperson Farhatullah Babar said that Zardari reiterated his call for both countries to work more closely in institutionalising the mutual cooperation and cement bilateral relations based on mutual interest and mutual respect.
US Senator John McCain also called on Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani at the PM's House and discussed matters of mutual interest. (ANI)
