RAWALPINDI:  Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Syed Asim Munir visited the headquarters of US Central Command and engaged in discussions with Commander United States Central Command General Michael Erik Kurilla, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) informed yesterday.

As per the statement, the meeting focused on shared interests, with a particular emphasis on cooperation in regional security matters.

Both generals explored opportunities for collaborative training and emphasised the importance of enhancing training interactions between Centcom and the Pakistan Army. Additionally, the COAS toured the Centcom Joint Operations Center during the visit.

Last week, the COAS called on key US government and military officials during his visit to the US on Friday. The officials included Secretary of State Antony J Blinken, Secretary of Defense General (retd) Llyod J Austin, Deputy Secretary of State Victoria Nuland, Deputy National Security Adviser Jonathan Finer and US Chairman of Joint Chiefs of Staff General Charles Q Brown.

According to the ISPR news release, matters of bilateral interests, global and regional security issues, and ongoing conflicts were discussed during the meetings. Both the sides agreed to continue engagement for exploring potential avenues of bilateral collaboration in pursuit of shared interests.

During the meetings with defence officials, counter-terrorism cooperation and defence collaboration were identified as core areas of cooperation. Both the sides reiterated the intent to increase interaction and explore ways to expand the scope of mutually beneficial engagements.

The COAS underscored the importance of understanding each other's perspectives on regional security issues and developments affecting strategic stability in South Asia. In this context, the COAS especially highlighted the importance of resolving the Kashmir Issue in accordance with international law and relevant UNSC resolutions.

Published in The Daily National Courier, December, 20 2023

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