Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani have reached Washington on late Sunday night on a four-day official visit to US, Aaj TV reported. According to the channel, US Assistant Secretary of State Richard Boucher, Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi and Pakistani ambassador to US Hussain Haqqani received the Prime Minister at airport.
Gilani will meet US President George W Bush in White House today (Monday), the channel added. APP adds: Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani will meet US President George Bush in Washington to discuss wide-ranging issues of bilateral and strategic importance.
The Prime Minister, who had an overnight stay in London, was seen off at the Heathrow Airport by Paksitan's High Commissioner, Wajid Shamsul Hassan, Press Minister Imran Gardezi and other Embassy officials.
During his stay in US from July 27 to 30, he will meet President Bush on July 28, who will later host a luncheon for him. The two leaders will have a wide-ranging exchange of views on bilateral matters and regional and international issues of common interest.
This is Prime Minister Gilani's first visit to the United States since assuming his office last March. During his visit, focus would be on promoting a new partnership on peace and prosperity.
The visit is expected to deepen mutual understanding and further strengthen mutually beneficial co-operation in the areas of common interest.
In Washington, Gilani is scheduled to have meetings with members of US administration including Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, Secretary of Defence Robert Gates and Secretary of Treasury Henry Paulson.
The Prime Minister is also expected meet Senators John McCain and Barack Obama, the presumptive presidential nominees of the Republican and Democratic parties, respectively.
At Capitol Hill, he will be meeting members of the Senate and House of Representatives, besides meeting with the US business sector and an address to Pakistani-American community. The Prime Minister would also have interaction with the US print and electronic media.
On July 29, he would be addressing an investors' roundtable on Pakistan's power sector, being organised with the World Bank and International Finance Corporation.
Pakistan and US enjoy close, friendly and co-operative relations. The US is among Pakistan's largest trading partners and leading foreign investor. The two countries have traditionally strong defence and security co-operation.
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