Welcoming the inaugural visit to the United States of the 22d Prime Minister of Pakistan and continuing support and commitment to the long and enduring friendship between the United States and the Islamic Republic of Pakistan.

welcomes the inaugural visit to the United States of the 22d Prime Minister of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, Imran Ahmed Khan Niazi;

expresses continuing support and commitment to the long and enduring friendship between the United States and the Islamic Republic of Pakistan;

recognizes the sacrifice of and expresses solidarity with the people of Pakistan in their struggle against terrorism as the recent chapter in a resilient and result-oriented partnership;

supports strengthening of the democratic process in Pakistan that affords opportunity to refresh a relationship that had frayed under the weight of international conflict;

reaffirms friendship and strategic partnership with a democratic Pakistan that must be strengthened through institutionalizing engagement in different avenues of bilateral cooperation;

encourages and supports ongoing cooperation between the United States and Pakistan in a range of areas, including security, economic development, strengthening of democratic institutions, energy, education, trade, and women empowerment;

acknowledges Pakistan’s constructive role in facilitating peace within Afghanistan and across the region;

recognizes the significant role of the Pakistani-American diaspora in building bridges of friendship between Pakistan and the United States; and

encourages people-to-people contact, particularly in the economic domain, as the way forward in rebuilding the bilateral relationship into an enduring partnership.