U.S., Pakistani leaders stress cooperation against terrorism

U.S. President Barack Obama and Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif held talks at the White House on Thursday and renewed their common resolve to counter all forms of extremism and terrorism.

Obama affirmed Pakistan's role as "a key counterterrorism partner" and recognized the sacrifices that the Pakistanis have made over the years as they confront terrorism and militant groups, said a joint statement issued by the two leaders.

Obama expressed particular appreciation for Pakistan's ongoing support to degrade and ultimately defeat al-Qaeda and its affiliates, noting that this partnership has helped to decimate the group's leadership and operational capacity and has disrupted plots against the U.S. homeland, said the statement.

Both leaders expressed their commitment to advancing an Afghan-owned and -led peace and reconciliation process between the Afghan government and the Afghan Taliban, and called on Taliban leaders to enter into direct talks with Kabul and work toward a sustainable peace settlement.

Sharif reaffirmed that Pakistan's territory "will not be used against any other country and noted that this is an obligation of all countries in the region," the statement added.

"The United States and Pakistan have a longstanding relationship," Obama said before his meeting with Sharif. "We work and cooperate on a whole host of issues -- not just on security matters, but also on economic and scientific and educational affairs."

After the meeting, U.S. and Pakistan announced a joint action plan to expand bilateral trade and investment and initiated a new partnership on clean energy cooperation. Enditem