US ambassador pays farewell call on PM Imran amid diplomatic row

ISLAMABAD: US Ambassador to Pakistan David Hale paid a farewell call on Prime Minister Imran Khan here at the PM Office.

During the meeting, the US Ambassador and Prime Minister Imran Khan discussed matters of mutual interest.

Minister for Foreign Affairs Makhdoom Shah Mehmood Qureshi was also present.

https://arynews.tv/en/trump-nominates-pakistan-ambassador-hale-for-under-secretary/

The meeting comes following a diplomatic row between the US State department and Pakistan’s foreign office over the statement released reading out the content of US secretary of State Mike Pompeo and premier Imran’s telephonic conversation.

Foreign Office spokesman Dr Muhammad Faisal had categorically rejected ‘factually incorrect’ statement issued by US State Dept about the telephonic conversation between the prime minister and the US secretary of state.

US President Donald Trump has nominated Hale to be the next under secretary of state for political affairs. Mr Hale would replace Thomas A Shannon who retired on June 4.

Mr. Hale had been serving as the US Ambassador to Pakistan since 2015. Before that he was the ambassador to Lebanon and Jordan.

He has also served in Tunisia, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia and the United Nations.

In Washington, Hale served as deputy assistant secretary of state for Israel, Egypt and the Levant; director for Israel-Palestinian Affairs and executive assistant to former Secretary of State Madeline Albright.

He previously served as the United States Ambassador to Lebanon from 2013 to 2015 and as the US Envoy to Jordan from 2005 to 2008.

In Washington, he had served as the Special Envoy and Deputy Special Envoy for Middle East Peace from 2009 to 2013 and as Deputy Assistant Secretary of State in the Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs from 2008 to 2009.