The United States and Pakistan reaffirmed on Thursday their commitment to a wide-ranging, long- term and substantive strategic partnership that is based on mutual trust and mutual respect.

"Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton and Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi reaffirmed their commitment to a wide-ranging, long-term and substantive strategic partnership between the United States and Pakistan," said a joint statement on the U.S.-Pakistan Strategic Dialogue.

The strategic dialogue, the first ever at the ministerial level on both governments, was co-chaired here by Clinton and Qureshi on Wednesday and Thursday, in an attempt to broaden and deepen comprehensive cooperation between the two countries.

"The core foundations of this partnership are shared democratic values, mutual trust and mutual respect. A stable, enduring and broad-based cooperative partnership is in the fundamental interest of both countries," said the statement.

Early on Thursday, the Obama administration signed a 40-million- dollar intent deal with Pakistan to upgrade roads in the northwestern Swat Valley region, where the Pakistani military has been fighting the Taliban and al-Qaeda militants.

Encouraging Islamabad to play a positive role for the regional stability and security, the Obama administration has decided to help Pakistan overcome the political, economic and security challenges that threaten its stability.

The administration promises to help Pakistan address immediate energy, water and economic crises, to back broader economic reforms necessary to put Pakistan on a path toward sustainable growth, and to help it build on its success against militants in an effort to eliminate extremist sanctuaries in the country.