Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari received a phone call from US Secretary of State Antony Blinken during which they discussed a raft of issues including regional concerns with Afghanistan on top of the list, reported 24NewsHD TV channel on Tuesday.
During the phone call on Monday, Blinken and Bilawal also deliberated upon Pakistan’s economic recovery, reaffirming productive partnership between the two countries.
In a post uploaded on Twitter, Blinken said Washington supports a productive, democratic and prosperous partnership with Pakistan. “Had a good call with Bilawal Bhutto to discuss out support for Pakistan’s economic recovery and out shared regional concerns including Afghanistan,” he added.
According to State Department's spokesperson Matthew Miller, Secretary Blinken reaffirmed a "productive US-Pakistan partnership" in the phone conversation with FM Bilawal. The secretary noted the Pakistani people have suffered tremendously from terrorist attacks and affirmed the United States' commitment to continued partnership with Pakistan on counterterrorism.
The secretary and foreign minister also discussed the destabilising effects of Russia's war against Ukraine as well as the United States and Pakistan's shared interest in a peaceful and stable Afghanistan.
During the call with FM Bilawal, Secretary Blinken underscored the United States steadfast commitment to the people of Pakistan, highlighting that the economic success of Pakistan remains a top priority for the US. He noted that the US would continue to engage with Pakistan through technical and development initiatives and through our robust trade and investment ties.
Blinken also welcomed the International Monetary Fund's (IMF) approval of a programme to support Pakistan and encouraged continued reforms to promote economic recovery and prosperity.
Secretary Blinken stressed that democratic principles and respect for the rule of law are central to the US-Pakistan relationship and these values will continue to guide this partnership forward.
On Monday, Bilawal Bhutto also held a telephonic conversation with European Union's High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell.
Expressing Pakistan's concerns over the expiry of the Black Sea Grain Initiative (BSGI), the foreign minister said that the resulting food inflation and food security-related challenges would adversely impact developing countries like Pakistan, which were already under economic pressure.
The deal allowing the safe Black Sea export of Ukraine's grain expired last week after Russia quit and warned it could not guarantee the safety of ships.
FM Bilawal had, in a presser alongside his Ukrainian counterpart, Dmytro Kuleba, also said that it was "in the world's interest" to restore the grain initiative.
The foreign minister, during the call, told Blinken that he had also spoken to his Ukrainian and Turkish counterparts on this subject. He hoped that efforts aimed at reviving the initiative would come to fruition through dialogue and constructive engagement, accommodating the concerns of all parties.
The foreign minister requested the EU High Representative to play his role to help find a solution that would allow the renewal of BSGI, and conveyed Pakistan's readiness to contribute to collective efforts in that regard.