Washington, May 22: The United States seeks a long-term relationship with Pakistan, beyond Iraq and Afghanistan, Pakistan Foreign Minister Khurshid Mahmud Kasuri has said. He said the above assurance came from President George W Bush's National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice, during his recent meeting with her. Kasuri said this was a befitting response to those who were critical of the policies of the government and were of the view that Pakistan's importance would diminish after the US objectives were served. Welcoming the statement by US Secretary of State Colin Powell that Pakistan and India were acknowledged nuclear powers, Kasuri told Pakistani American Community that the designation of Pakistan as a major non-NATO ally was now "rapidly advancing" through administrative and legislative processes. These observations by top officials of the US administration, he said "signify that the United States attaches a lot of importance to its relationship with Pakistan." Bureau Report