Washington D.C/Islamabad, 7 May 2022 (TDI): The US Secretary of State Antony Blinken held a telephonic conversation with the newly-appointed Foreign Minister of Pakistan, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari.
Firstly, Secretary Blinken congratulated Bilawal Bhutto Zardari for his appointment as Pakistan’s Minister of Foreign Affairs.
The officials then discussed US-Pakistan bilateral ties and the promotion of peace and security. According to Spokesperson Ned Price, Antony Blinken reiterated the American desire to strengthen the broad-based bilateral relationship between both countries, Moreover, Secretary Blinken highlighted the shared commitment of both countries to Afghan Peace.
Furthermore, both officials discussed the ongoing bilateral engagement in the areas of trade and investment, climate change, energy, health, and education.
Meanwhile, in a statement released on Twitter, Secretary Blinken said, “…we’re committed to strengthening our relationship and our cooperation on Afghan stability, combatting terrorism, and expanding commerce.”
The two officials agreed to enhance the broad-based bilateral relationship and promote peace, development, and security in the region. Also, they agreed to continue to engage with mutual respect in mutually beneficial fields. The conversation is a step towards resuming cordial relations between Pakistan and the US.
US-Pakistan Relations
This year Pakistan and the United States will mark 75 years of official diplomatic relations. The countries established relations in October 1947, two months after the independence of Pakistan.
The political ties between the US and Pakistan have seen periods ranging from cordiality to hostility throughout the 75 years. However, relations in the fields of health, education, economy and trade, culture, science and technology, and development cooperation have seen sufficient growth. The US assists Pakistan through aid and investment. In 2019, two-way trade between the two countries amounted to $6.6 billion. Moreover, the Pakistani diaspora in the United States forms a major component of relations between Pakistan and the US
Furthermore, during the Covid19 pandemic, the United States donated vaccines to Pakistan to assist the nation in countering the pandemic.
