US President Barack Obama today held wide-ranging talks with Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on thorny issues like security, nuclear safety, situation in war-torn Afghanistan and Islamabad's support to terror groups.
Welcoming Sharif for his second bilateral meeting with him, Obama said the two sides are "looking forward to using this opportunity to deepen this relationship between the United States and Pakistan".
We work and cooperate on a whole host of issues - not just on security matters, but also on economic and scientific and educational affairs," he told reporters as he welcomed Sharif in his Oval Office.
Sharif said, "I look forward to a very constructive engagement with you on Thursday to add greater substance and depth to this relationship.
"The Pakistan-America relations stand over 70 years, and it is my endeavour to further strengthen and solidify this relationship."
The meeting between the two leaders comes a week after Obama said he will not pull out American troops from Afghanistan before he demits office next year.
"The visit will highlight the enduring nature of the US- Pakistan relationship and provide an opportunity to strengthen our cooperation on issues of mutual interest, including economic growth, trade and investment, clean energy, global health, climate change, nuclear security, counter-terrorism and regional stability," the White House said in a statement.
It added that the President will discuss with Sharif ways to advance "our shared interest in a stable, secure, and prosperous Pakistan" during the Pakistani premier's key four-day visit to the US at Obama's invitation.
Ahead of the meeting, Pakistani officials said that Sharif would raise the Kashmir issue with Obama.
"During the Prime Minister's visit, we will talk about the tension with India on the line of Control," Foreign Secretary Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhry said on Monday.
"It is the responsibility of the US and the international community to help resolve the problem of Kashmir, which was the main issue with India," he added.
India has rejected any third party intervention to theKashmir issue and has maintained that all outstanding matters in Indo-Pak ties should be resolved bilaterally.
Sharif, on his part, sought "third party intervention" in the Kashmir issue, telling American senators here that the US was the "most relevant" party to get involved in the matter.
Pakistan has already submitted three dossiers on India's alleged role in "subversive activities" in the country ahead of the high-level interaction.
Sharif in his meeting with US Secretary of State John Kerry on Wednesday also briefed him about the "destabilising role of Indian agencies in FATA, Balochistan and Karachi".
The US has been pressing Pakistan to severe ties with terror groups like the lashkar-e-Taiba (leT), the Taliban and the Haqqani network and not provide safe-havens to the outfits but Pakistan said there was "no-question" of taking any more steps as it has sufficiently acted against terrorism.
"We have done enough (in the fight against terrorism). Do not talk of doing more," Chaudhry said, adding that it is time for the rest of the world to "do more" in this regard.
There have also been concerns raised over the safety of Pakistan's existing nuclear arsenal as well as the pace at which such weapons are being produced.
According to a New York Times report published today, the US is planning to sell eight new F-16 fighter jets to Pakistan though it is unclear if the Congress will agree to the deal amid concerns among lawmakers whether the advanced aircraft would be used against India than for counterterrorism.
Sharif was accompanied by Finance Minister Mohammad Ishaq Dar, Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar, Defence Minister Khwaja Asif and Advisor to the Prime Minister on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz.
US Vice President Joe Biden, National Security Advisor Susan Rice and other senior US officials, including Peter lavoy - Special Assistant to the US President for National Security Affairs, were present.
He also praised the "extraordinary" Pakistani-American community,
which he said is helping to build this country "and those people-to-people ties are part of what makes this relationship so special".
Sharif thanked Obama for inviting him to Washington once again.