Bilawal debuts in international diplomacy; meets Obama

Pakistani media reported that Bilawal Bhutto met Obama with his father,Pak president Zardari,and impressed the US president with his 'talent and prudence'.

Bilawal Bhutto,the young son of charismatic late Pakistan Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto,made his debut in international diplomacy in Washington,with the Pakistani media saying that he impressed US President Barack Obama with his “talent and prudence”.

Bilawal,student at the prestigious Oxford University,met not only Obama but also the US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and US trouble shooter for Pakistan and Afghanistan Richard Holbrooke.

The young Bhutto,who is the chairman of the Pakistan Peoples Party,had his baptism in international politics,when he accompanied his father President Asif Ali Zardari to the crucial meetings.

Zardari and 20-year-old Bilawal called on Obama at the White House on Wednesday evening. Obama exchanged pleasantries with Bilawal and was “impressed by the talent and prudence” of the PPP chairman,The News daily quoted sources as saying on Thursday.

The brief exchange of pleasantries was conducted at the White House’s famous Rose Garden,where the trio strolled and exchanged views on bilateral and international issues.

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton paid tribute to Bilawal’s slain mother during the inaugural session of the trilateral talks between Afghanistan,Pakistan and the US at the State Department on Wednesday.

Addressing Bilawal,Clinton said,”Your mother was a great leader and the whole world misses her”.

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Bilawal represented the PPP at the talks,sharing the table with Zardari,Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi and Interior Minister Rehman Malik.