Acting Assistant Secretary of State Ambassador Alice Wells. Photo: File

ISLAMABAD: Acting Assistant Secretary of State Ambassador Alice Wells said that the United States consider Pakistan?s enemy as its own enemy, while speaking to senior journalist Hamid Mir on Tuesday.

Mir informed that the US diplomat also said that the US doesn?t support the separation movement in Balochistan.

Wells also stated that the US desires to continue the longstanding bilateral partnership with Islamabad.

Earlier on Monday, Ambassador Wells called on Foreign Secretary Tehmina Janjua at the Foreign Office. Alice Wells was accompanied by senior officials from US National Security Council and Ambassador David Hale.

Pak support critical for US to succeed in Afghanistan: Senior State Dept official

This is third visit by Alice Wells to Pakistan since August 2017

Noting the importance of the longstanding bilateral relationship, Ambassador Wells acknowledged Pakistan's efforts in eradicating terrorism and conveyed the US desire to work with Pakistan in furthering the shared objectives of stabilizing Afghanistan. She argued that as an immediate neighbour and important country of the region, Pakistan's support was critical to the success of the US strategy for Afghanistan. To this end, Ambassador Wells underlined the need for strengthening intelligence cooperation between the two sides to improve coordination in counter-terrorism efforts.

The two sides agreed that all initiatives owned and led by the Afghans for seeking a peaceful solution should be supported by the regional countries. Pakistan's positive role in several peace initiatives was appreciated.

This is third visit by Wells to Pakistan since August 2017 and the first of a senior US government official following the US president's Twitter outburst against Pakistan earlier this month.