Geo436.com blog: Dialogue covered civil nuclear technology: FM

Geo436 LAHORE: Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi has termed the Pak-US strategic dialogue 'successful', 'progressive' and 'fruitful', adding that the talks helped improve ties of two close allies of war on terrorism, Geo News reported.

Upon his arrival at Lahore airport, FM Qureshi talking to newsmen said the Pak-US strategic dialogue focused on 13 main issues of national interest besides matters pertaining to the common man. He regretted that in previous regimes even the most crucial matters were kept out of the agenda for talks.

"Efforts were made to have desirable outcome from the strategic dialogue," he said.

Shah Mehmood Qureshi said in past Pakistan only nodded to US demands. But now it does both – accedes to US demands and get its demands accepted.

"We did not just have a verbal exchange of views, it was all got properly documented," he said.

Pak-US relations, he observed, have both depth and understanding and the benefits of the strategic dialogue flow both ways.

He said the US has pledged support to Pakistan towards building dams.

Referring to war on terror, the Foreign Minister said, Pakistan made it clear that it rendered numerous sacrifices in this war, therefore, there should not be any pointing of fingers and that the US policy should not smell of discrimination. Pakistan expressed its reservation on the issue of Afghanistan, he added.

Regarding freedom of media, Shah Mehmood Qureshi said the press should be both free and responsible and that the US will offer opportunities for the training of Pakistani journalists.

He said Pakistan needs civil nuclear technology to overcome its energy crisis. The obtainment of civil nuclear technology did come up during the talks, he added.