Washington, March 18 (IANS) The United States and Pakistan will hold their first Strategic Dialogue here next week with Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Pakistani Foreign Minister Makhdoom Shah Mahmood Qureshi co-chairing the talks.

Topics for discussion March 24 will include economic development, water and energy, education, communications and public diplomacy, agriculture, and security, the State Department announced Wednesday.

President Barack Obama and Clinton have repeatedly stressed the breadth and depth of the US-Pakistan relationship, a partnership that goes far beyond security, the official announcement said.