On October 23, Pakistani Foreign Secretary Jalil Abbas Jilani and State Department Assistant Secretary for Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs (OES) Dr. Kerri-Ann Jones will sign a five-year extension of the U.S.-Pakistan Science and Technology Cooperation Agreement. Over the past decade, this agreement has provided a framework to strengthen scientific, technological, and engineering capabilities for both our countries; to broaden and expand relations between the extensive scientific and technological communities in both the United States and Pakistan; and to promote cooperation in areas of mutual benefit.

Under the auspices of our 2003 Science and Technology Agreement, our governments have jointly funded nearly $30 million worth of collaborative research projects through the U.S.-Pakistan Science and Technology Cooperation Program. In total, 83 research projects have been supported in a range of scientific areas, including food security, public health, Earth sciences, disaster management, engineering, water, and energy.

Foreign Secretary Jilani and Assistant Secretary Jones will be joined by Director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy John P. Holdren as well as State Department Principal Deputy Special Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan Dan Feldman.

The remarks will be open to the press. Pre set time for cameras: 10:45 a.m. from the 23rd Street entrance. Final access time for press: 11:15 a.m. from the 23rd Street entrance.

Media representatives may attend this event upon presentation of one of the following: (1) A U.S. Government-issued identification card (Department of State, White House, Congress, Department of Defense, or Foreign Press Center), (2) a media-issued photo identification card, or (3) a letter from their employer on letterhead verifying their employment as a journalist, accompanied by an official photo identification card (driver's license, passport).

For further information, please contact Mark Thornburg at thornburgmh@state.gov or (202) 413-1587, or visit http://www.state.gov/e/oes/index.htm