The second round of Pakistan-U. S. strategic dialogue would take place in Islamabad on Wednesday, Pakistan's Foreign Ministry said on Monday.
The two countries launched the strategic dialogue in March 2006 when U.S. President George W. Bush visited Pakistan.
Foreign Secretary Riaz Muhammad Khan would lead the Pakistan side and the American side will be headed by Deputy Secretary of State John D Negroponte, Foreign Office spokesperson Tasnim Aslam told a weekly press briefing here.
The discussions would focus on economic cooperation, education, security, counter-terrorism and social sectors, Aslam said.
The two sides would also exchange views on Reconstruction Opportunities Zones in northwestern Pakistan's tribal regions, which will be established with American assistance, she said.
Answering a question, she said, "We are interested in promoting cooperation in education, science and technology and energy."
"Pakistan would like to send its students for higher education and training in the United States, which has dropped after 9/11 because of very complicated U.S. visa procedures," she said.
She said the U.S. has streamlined the system to an extent but Pakistan wants its students to be given greater opportunities of study in U.S. educational institutions in specialized fields.
"Pakistan also wants to see progress in dialogue in the energy sector," the spokesperson said. "This is an important sector and the U.S. experts have been giving advice on alternative energy resources and how to harness them."
In science and technology, Pakistan would like its students and professionals to be able to get higher education and expertise in the United States, the spokesperson said.
She said several countries are assisting Pakistan in setting up universities and Pakistan would also like the U.S. to extend cooperation in this regard, adding that Pakistan would also welcome opening of campuses by American Universities in the country.
Source: Xinhua
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