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Pakistan and United States strategic dialogue would begin today (Wednesday) in Washington.

The Pakistani delegation would be headed by Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi while US Under Secretary of State Hillary Clinton would lead the US side.

The dialogue would be attended by Chief of the Army Staff (COAS) Gen Ashfaq Pervez Kayani, DG ISI Lt Gen Shuja Pasha, while secretaries of foreign, defence, IT, commerce, agriculture and water & power departments would also join them, Sources informed Online.

The dialogue would encompass economy, energy, education, science and technology and public diplomacy besides joint efforts regarding South Asia.

The Pak-US strategic dialogue will take up a lengthy economic agenda during its deliberations starting Wednesday in Washington. According to official sources, Islamabad has so far received $700 million of the $2.6 billion claimed under the Coalition Support Fund (CSF) over the last two years.

Successful negotiations in Washington on Pakistan’s claims would lead to the release of $1.2 billion by the end of June 2010. The remaining $700 million would be processed for disbursement in the next fiscal year, the sources said.

Pakistan is supposed to receive $500 million under the Kerry-Lugar law during the ongoing fiscal year 2009-10. The country will also seek US assurances for the early release of $1.5 billion under the same head for the next fiscal year to carry out its development agenda.

In this regard, the Pakistani delegation is set to request US authorities for the early approval of its appropriation of $7.5 billion under the Kerry-Lugar bill. Reports say the two sides may discuss a possible civilian nuclear deal. Pakistan would also ask US to compensate it for 35 billion dollar loss which it had suffer in war against terrorism.