US consulting with Pak ahead of policy review: Clinton

Washington, Feb.26 (ANI): The US Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton has said that Washington is in close strategic consultation with Pakistan before chalking out a new policy for the troubled region along the Pakistan- Afghanistan border.

Clinton met Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi at the State Department here. The meeting was a part of the ongoing three-way American policy review, which includes Afghanistan also.

"I was very pleased to welcome the minister (Qureshi) and his delegation here to the State Department. As you know, we are consulting very closely with the government of Pakistan on our strategic review of our way forward," The Daily Times quoted Clinton, as saying.

While replying to queries that Obama administration's decision to send in 17,000 more troops to Afghanistan may push the Taliban further into neighbouring Pakistan, the top US diplomat said: "There is a very open and fully consultative process which we will be working on, and many of these issues will be discussed among us."

Talking to reporters after the meeting, Qureshi expressed hope that the new US administration would take into account Islamabad's stance before putting forth any policy for the region.

He said Pakistan was determined to root out terrorism, and is sincerely working on achieving the objective.

"There's a convergence between us, there's a willingness to work together, and I see a lot of hope in the new US administration, the new leadership.

And Pakistan is willing to work with the American administration to fight extremism and terrorism. We are determined to defeat terrorism," Qureshi added. (ANI)