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Pakistan's recently appointed Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari met his US counterpart Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Wednesday morning here in New York and discussed strengthening of economic ties and trade between the two countries besides food security.
"We want to focus on the work we're doing to strengthen our economic and commercial ties between the United States and Pakistan; of course, focus on regional security," US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said. He also congratulated Pakistan on the chairmanship of the G77 and said that the US "is looking forward to strengthening our own relations and dialogue and communication with the G77." He also expressed gratefulness on Pakistan's participation in the "Global Food Security - Call to Action" Ministerial that will be held later in the day. "We are aware that recent geopolitical events have indeed aggravated the situation, and countries like Pakistan have already been facing challenges in food security, water security, energy insecurity because of a whole host of issues ranging from climate change to issues in our neighborhood. So this particular initiative is most welcome and most important," Pakistan Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto said. "I also look forward to the opportunity to increasing engagement between Pakistan and the United States, working with yourself and your administration to improve trade relations between Pakistan and the United States and create opportunities for American investors, and Pakistani investors, and Pakistani businessmen, and American entrepreneurs to work together," he added. The meeting is part of Bhutto's first set of foreign visits, during which he will also travel to China and Switzerland, where he will attend a meeting of the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos. Former Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan on Sunday said that Bhutto will "beg" for money from US Secretary of State Blinken during the visit, so that he (Imran Khan) could not come back to power in Pakistan. Imran Khan said that Bilawal cannot dare to upset Blinken as later knows where Bilawal and his father Asif Ali Zardari have hidden their money across the globe. Bhutto's trip to the US is expected to last till May 19, after which he will travel to China, for a two-day visit on May 19-20, before departing to Davos for a series of meetings at the WEF, ARY News reported citing sources. Bhutto will return to Pakistan on May 25. Earlier, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken held a telephonic conversation with Bhutto. The phone call to the Pakistan Foreign Minister was the first contact between the foreign ministers of the two countries in quite a while. (ANI)
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