Kasuri meets Congressional leaders

Foreign Minister Khurshid Kasuri spent a busy day on Tuesday as he held meetings with several Congressional leaders on Capitol Hill. The foreign minister, who is visiting Washington as part of regular high-level contacts between the two countries to further strengthen US-Pakistan relations, met with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.
During the meeting, they discussed the ongoing co-operation in the area of counter-terrorism between Pakistan and Afghanistan. The foreign minister informed the speaker about Pakistan's efforts to control the border including fencing at selective places and introduction of the biometrics cards to control movement.
Speaker Pelosi highlighted Pakistan's importance in creating conditions of peace and stability in the region and said the United States is appreciative of the country's efforts.
The foreign minister complimented Nancy Pelosi on her election as the first woman in the US history to be Speaker of the House of Representative. Speaker Pelosi recalled her meeting with President Musharraf in Pakistan recently and said she found it very useful in developing a much better understanding about the situation on Pakistan-Afghanistan border.
Foreign Minister Kasuri also discussed the regional situation with Congressman Tom Lantos, who recollected his visit to Islamabad and spoke warmly of the leadership being provided by President Musharraf.
He also had a comprehensive exchange of views with Senator John Kerry regarding the situation in the Middle East, Afghanistan, and Iraq. Khurshid Kasuri also held a meeting with Congresswoman Sheila Jackson-Lee, the co-chair of Congressional Pakistan Caucus, during which they reviewed US-Pakistan bilateral relations and overall co-operation in diverse fields.
They also discussed the situation on border with Afghanistan. The foreign minister reiterated Pakistan's position that peace, security and prosperity in Afghanistan is in Pakistan's interest and that Pakistan's policy remains wedded to this principle.
Pakistan and Afghanistan have recently had a series of meetings in Turkey and Germany, where a number of confidence building measures were agreed, which would improve co-ordination and understanding, he said.