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David Cameron and Nawaz Sharif hold talks | |
(about 1 hour later) | |
David Cameron is holding talks with Pakistan's newly elected prime minister Nawaz Sharif. | |
The British prime minister is on a two-day official visit to Pakistan, where Mr Sharif was recently re-elected for an unprecedented third time. | The British prime minister is on a two-day official visit to Pakistan, where Mr Sharif was recently re-elected for an unprecedented third time. |
Mr Cameron wants to build relations with Pakistan's new leadership and will use the talks to discuss regional stability, trade and security issues. | |
It follows his talks with Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari on Saturday. | It follows his talks with Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari on Saturday. |
The election of Nawaz Sharif in May was Pakistan's first democratic transition from one civilian government to another. | |
'Power of influence' | 'Power of influence' |
Mr Cameron earlier said the election was a "huge bonus" for Pakistan and had put the country in a strong position in the region, particularly with regards to achieving peace and stability in Afghanistan. | |
He said a secure and stable Afghanistan was in Pakistan's best interests and he believed Mr Sharif would help with the efforts to make progress. | |
"We have a good relationship with Pakistan, it's a long-standing relationship," he said during a press conference in Kabul. | "We have a good relationship with Pakistan, it's a long-standing relationship," he said during a press conference in Kabul. |
"We have a very clear view which is that it's in Pakistan's short, medium and long-term interest to have a secure, stable and prosperous Afghanistan with which they have a good and strong relationship." | "We have a very clear view which is that it's in Pakistan's short, medium and long-term interest to have a secure, stable and prosperous Afghanistan with which they have a good and strong relationship." |
He said Mr Sharif's election victory gave him credibility and a "certain power of influence" to encourage the Taliban on the path to peace in the region. | |
Mr Cameron wants the Taliban to engage with the peace process in Afghanistan, to bolster a political solution to the conflict. | |
But he has said the Taliban need to give up their arms and "realise that they are not going to secure a role in Afghanistan's future through terror and violence". | |
The prime minister's talks with Mr Sharif are not expected to focus solely on Afghanistan and will encompass prosperity and trade, as well as security issues such as counter-terrorism. | |
On Saturday Mr Cameron visited Afghanistan, where he met troops at Camp Bastion and held talks with Afghan President Hamid Karzai. | |
In Pakistan, he visited the national monument where he met people taking part in the British Council's Active Citizens programme. | In Pakistan, he visited the national monument where he met people taking part in the British Council's Active Citizens programme. |
Mr Sharif served previous terms as Pakistan prime minister in 1990 to 1993, and 1997 to 1999. | Mr Sharif served previous terms as Pakistan prime minister in 1990 to 1993, and 1997 to 1999. |
He was deposed by General Musharraf and given a jail term, and later went into exile in Saudi Arabia before returning in 2007. | He was deposed by General Musharraf and given a jail term, and later went into exile in Saudi Arabia before returning in 2007. |
He won a surprise landslide victory in Pakistan's general elections in May. | He won a surprise landslide victory in Pakistan's general elections in May. |