WASHINGTON – Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Zafar Mahmood Abbasi NI (M) hassaid that Pakistan wishes to further build on its relationship with theUnited States on the basis on mutual respect, and mutuality of interests.He made these remarks while talking to representatives of Pakistan andAmerican media at the Pakistan Embassy in Washington.

The Naval chief is in Washington to attend the International SeapowerSymposium (ISS). This is the first high-level visit by any Pakistan civilor military official since the new government of Prime Minister Imran Khanwhich was sworn-in last month.

The Naval chief said Pakistan was a very active member of Combined TaskForce 151 (CTF 151) which took part in counter piracy and anti narcoticsoperations. The multinational naval task force was set up in 2009 as aresponse to piracy attacks.

Its mission was to disrupt piracy and armed robbery at sea and engage withregional and other partners to build and improve capacities to protectglobal maritime commerce and secure freedom of navigation.The Naval chief said Pakistan would be holding a multilateral navalexercise in February 2019 in which 50 navies from around the world wouldparticipate including Chinese and the American navies.

This showed Pakistan was an important member of the comity of nations inthe field of maritime security and our aim was to remain an effectivepartner in this area, he added.

Commenting on the Pakistan-US relationship, the Naval chief stated thatPakistan wished to further build on its relationship with the US based onmutual respect and mutuality of interests.

He also reiterated Pakistan’s position on the Afghan conflict and said thatit would continue to support international efforts for peace in Afghanistan.

He said the government believed that an Afghan-owned and Afghan-led peaceand reconciliation process was the only way forward.