Remarks Prior to Discussions With Members of the Community in Islamabad

Secretary Rice and Ambassador Crocker and I want to thank members from the civil society and Members of Parliament for joining us. My trip to Pakistan is a really important trip. Pakistan is a strategic partner and a friend of the United States.

I want to thank those of you who have come to share with me and the Secretary and the Ambassador your thoughts about how the United States can better work with the people of Pakistan.

One of the signs of a modern society is the empowerment of women. And I want to thank the women who have joined us here today to share your thoughts. And we've got the head of a bank; we've got a Member of Parliament; we've got educators, heads of NGOs, businesspeople, that are all here to help us better understand the Pakistan society and how we can better interrelate.

Part of becoming closer friends is to listen, listen to concerns and to share our thoughts on common values. So we really want to thank you for being here. And thank you for your gracious hospitality to your country.