Seoul Nuke Security Summit: Obama says it's important to get things right with Pakistan

Seoul, Mar 28 (ANI): U.S. President Barack Obama has reportedly taken small steps during the world Nuclear Security Summit in Seoul to open a dialogue with Pakistan on how to reset its strained U.S. relationship with the US.

Obama had looked for opportunities to advance his administration's foreign-policy objectives through meetings with world leaders on the sidelines of the world gathering.

In a session with Pakistani Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani, Obama sought to begin to re-establish ties that have unraveled following the unintentional killing of 24 Pakistani soldiers in a U.S. helicopter airstrike in November. The meeting on Tuesday was the highest-level discussion since the airstrike.

"I think it's important to get it right," Obama said of the U.S.-Pakistan relationship, at the start of the meeting.

Gilani voiced appreciation for comments by Obama about respecting Pakistan's sovereignty, and replied that Pakistan is committed to fighting terrorism.

"We want to work together with you," The Wall Street Journal quoted him, as saying while assuring his U.S. counterpart that Islamabad is "committed to fight against extremism and terrorism."

White House officials saw the meeting as a promising step in repairing the ties, Ben Rhodes, a deputy national-security adviser, said: "This was a meeting that made important progress in both sides being able to hear directly from one another." (ANI)