(VOVworld) – US Secretary of State John Kerry and Sartaj Aziz, Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's adviser on foreign affairs launched a strategic dialogue on Monday.

US Secretary of State John Kerry and Sartaj Aziz, Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's adviser on foreign affairs (Photo: thenews.com.pk)

Kerry said Washington wants to develop a closer relation with Pakistani people and affirmed that he is trying to build a practical partnership with the country since he took the office a year ago. Kerry noted the expansion of cooperation with Pakistan in security, energy, and education.

The US Secretary acknowledged Pakistan’s essential role in supporting a secure Afghanistan.

Aziz pledged that he would do his best to support the peace keeping and stabilization in Afghanistan including the boosting of the reconciliation between the Afghan government and the Taliban. He called for mutual trust between the US and Pakistan to turn the current transactional relationship into a strategic partnership in which Washington will not look into Pakistan from the aspects of terrorism and Afghanistan.