President Barack Obama and Pakistan's Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif have held bilateral talks at White House during Sharif's State visit to the U.S.
Both leaders called on Taliban leaders in a joint statement to enter into direct talks with Kabul and work toward a sustainable peace settlement, according to a White House release on Thursday.
They also expressed their commitment to advance an Afghan-owned and led peace and reconciliation process between the Afghan government and the Afghan Taliban, according to DW.
Sharif, who is on a State visit to the U.S. from Oct. 20 to Oct. 23, informed Obama about Pakistan's actions against U.N.-recognized terrorist individuals and entities including Lashkar-e-Taiba ( Let) and its affiliates, Dawn reported.
A media report on Wednesday claimed that the U.S. is preparing to sell eight F-16 fighter jets to Pakistan. However, no official announcement has been made in this regard, The New York Times reported.
Sharif, in a meeting with Secretary of State John Kerry on Wednesday, apprised him about Indian agencies' involvement in destabilizing FATA, Balochistan and Karachi.
President Obama and Prime Minister Sharif emphasized the importance of a sustained and resilient dialogue process between India and Pakistan aimed at resolving all outstanding territorial and other disputes, including Kashmir, through peaceful means.
"The two leaders expressed concern over violence along the Line of Control, and noted their support for confidence-building measures and effective mechanisms that are acceptable to both parties," the joint statement said.
The Obama administration also ruled out its involvement in the Indo-Pak peace process unless both sides ask jointly. Pakistan has previously sought U.S. intervention in peace process, while India wanted it strictly bilateral without any interference of a third party.
"We affirmed the US commitment that we would be engaged only if this is something that India and Pakistan would like. This is not any change in any policy of the United States," an U.S. official said, according to Press Trust of India.
