“The foremost priority in Pak-US ties is to sustain the relationship and to take it to a higher level,” said Pakistan’s Ambassador to the United States. “Regional stability and socio-economic development through a strong economic partnership remains the core priority of the two countries,” he said. Ambassador Masood Khan made these remarks while addressing US Foreign Service Officers who are undergoing 32-weeks long Urdu language and Culture Training at Foreign Service Institute (FSI) of the United States at Washington DC. Addressing a batch of over 16 Foreign Service Officers who have been selected for their postings to the US Embassy in Islamabad and various US Consulates in Pakistan, Masood Khan said that the two countries were making efforts “to strengthen their economic ties and give muscle to the existing relationship in the non-security areas.” He called upon US diplomats for Pakistan to use their diplomatic skills and expertise in building people to people linkages and fostering strong economic partnership between the two countries. “The two countries have stood side by side with each other in their decades-long relationship. Now you would be playing your role in furthering this relationship. Your efforts would bring the two countries especially the people of Pakistan and the United States closer to each other,” said Pakistan’s Ambassador while addressing the US diplomats in Urdu language. He emphasized upon employing the tool of public diplomacy to dispel mutual misperceptions and misgivings. The Ambassador highlighted the strengths of the country with a special focus on its untapped potential, natural resources, geography and rich cultural heritage. Masood Khan said that educational cooperation was an important plank of bilateral relations that created strong bonds between our people and helped the youth of Pakistan to contribute towards socio-economic progress of the two countries. He highlighted the important role being played by a strong network of 39000 alumni who benefitted from various educational institutions and renowned seats of learning in the United States. “Our target is to bring one thousands Pakistani students every year so that they are able to benefit from US expertise in advanced disciplines,” he said. Ms. Tabbasum Sohail, supervisor of Northeast Asian languages, briefed the Ambassador about Urdu language and culture course which was mandatory for the designated US diplomats. Earlier, Ambassador Joan A. Polaschik, Director FSI, briefed the Ambassador about various training programmes at Foreign Service Institute (FSI) to impart world-class diplomatic training to the US foreign Service Officers and helping them to excel in today’s global arena, advance U.S. foreign policy and deliver on behalf of the American people. The two sides also discussed possibilities of forging collaboration between Foreign Service Academy of Pakistan and US Foreign Service Institute to benefit from mutual expertise and experiences. *****
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