ISLAMABAD – Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi hold talks withUS Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in the foreign office today.

Reportedly the talks went for only 40 minutes after which Mike Pompeo ismeeting Prime Minister Imran Khan.

US delegation was conveyed that safeguarding national interests will remainsupreme priority of the new government.

Discussions on bilateral, regional and international issues took placebetween Pakistan and the US, the Foreign Office spokesperson said in astatement adding that the FM underscored the need to reset bilateral tieson basis of mutual trust and respect.

Pompeo landed in Pakistan on Wednesday for a brief visit on hiswhistle-stop tour of the region, with the war in Afghanistan and the issueof militants once again set to dominate discussions with Pakistan.

Pompeo is next due to visit India, the main stop of his South Asia tour,where he is expected to pile pressure on New Delhi over its purchases ofIranian oil and Russian missile systems in talks with senior Indianofficials.

In Pakistan, Pompeo will meet new premier Imran Khan and the army chief,Qamar Javed Bajwa, against a backdrop of tense ties and US military aidcuts over Islamabad’s alleged reluctance to crack down on militants.

In July, Pompeo said there was “no rationale” for the IMF to give money toPakistan that would then be used to pay off Chinese loans, comments thatfurther rattled Islamabad.

Pompeo and U.S. Defense Secretary JimMattis will meet theirIndiancounterparts in New Delhi on Thursday,and are expected tofinalize defensepacts that could bring their militariescloser amidChina’s rising influence.

The talks come as U.S. hostility risestowards India’s traditionalallies Iranand Russia, on which Washington hasplaced sanctions. Iranis a big oilsupplier to India, and two-thirds of itsmilitary equipmentis from Russia.