News

Pakistan's Prime Minister to Meet with Obama

by Katherine Johnson

During his trip to Pakistan, Secretary of State John Kerry announced that the U.S. and Pakistan will resume security negotiations. Negotiations stopped in 2011 after 24 Pakistani soldiers were killed in U.S. air strikes.

"I'm pleased to announce that today, very quickly, we were able to agree to a resumption of the strategic dialogue in order to foster a deeper, broader and more comprehensive partnership between our countries," Kerry said at a press conference in Islamabad.

Kerry also announced that he's invited Pakistan's Prime Minister, Nawaz Sharif, to come discuss border management and counterterrorism with President Obama.

"It is also no secret that along this journey in the last few years we've experienced a few differences...we cannot allow events that might divide us in a small way to distract from the common values and the common interests that unite us in big ways," Kerry said.

Sharif, who has experience working with Kerry as the former Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, described him as "a wonderful friend." Sharif and Kerry also held private talks dealing with the economy, Pakistan's energy shortages, and security after NATO withdraws from Afghanistan.