US Senator John Kerry on Monday called Pakistan and the United States “strategic partners with a common enemy” as he sought to ease distrust in the wake of the killing of Osama bin Laden.

Kerry said he had held “constructive conversations” with Pakistan’s leaders but reiterated “grave concerns” over the presence in Pakistan of the Al-Qaeda terror chief and sanctuaries of US adversaries in Afghanistan.

“More importantly I explained that I am here with the backing of President (Barack) Obama, (US) ambassador (to Pakistan Cameron) Munter and their team to find a way to rebuild the trust between our two countries,” he said.

“We must never lose sight of this essential fact. We are strategic partners with a common enemy in terrorism and extremism.

“Both of our countries have sacrificed… so much that it just wouldn’t make sense to see this relationship broken or abandoned,” he added.