US officials announced on Thursday that President Clinton has invited Sharif to discuss a wide range of issues, including Islamabad's economic woes, nuclear non-proliferation, and the fight against terrorism.

``Due to Pakistan's grave economic situation and its importance in combating terrorism, President Bill Clinton thought it would be productive to have a face-to-face dialogue with Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif,'' Assistant Secretary of State Karl Inderfurth was quoted as telling a Defence Writers Group meeting.

Sharif is expected to accept the invitation for a visit probably lasting just one day in the first half of December. The White House is said to have indicated the days on which the President will be unencumbered. The visit will be an official working visit, different from a ceremonyand protocol filled state visit which is accorded to important world leaders.

This will be Sharif's second official visit to Washington as Prime Minister. He visited first during his first term. Benazir Bhutto also visited Washington twice as Prime Minister -- once during each of her terms, including a last visit in April 1995. The last Indian Prime Minister to visit Washington was Narasimha Rao in May 1994.

US officials rejected the idea that an invitation to Sharif, while not entertaining Prime Minister Vajpayee, signaled any kind of tilt towards Islamabad saying the Clinton administration's agenda with Pakistan was much broader at the present time because of that country's economic problems, the terrorism issue and the Afghanistan problem.

This is not to slight Prime Minister Vajpayee. We have pressing issues with the Pakistanis. Their economic situation, the terrorism thing particularly bin Laden, plus non-proliferation issues made it seem like a good idea to meet face-to-face, a State Departmentofficial explained.

The official said President Clinton could not meet Vajpayee during the latter's visit to the US last month because of scheduling constraints.

The two sides (US and India) are making progress in their talks. The President looks forward to meeting Prime Minister Vajpayee at an appropriate time, the official said.

Sharif's Washington visit -- assuming he lasts through November -- will come at a time when Pakistan is poised on the edge of an economic precipice.

The visit will also provide some relief to the American President who will be in the thick of the impeachment process.

Clinton has often used the Presidential settings offered by foreign visits -- like the current Middle East summit involving Benjamin Netanyahu and Yasser Arafat -- to work his way out of domestic trouble.

US officials say there will be official level meetings between Washington and Islamabad in the build-up to the visit with Deputy Secretary Strobe Talbott quite likely meeting Pakistan foreign secretaryShamshad Ahmed for another round of talks.

There is broad expectation that Pakistan will be brought around to signing the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty even as Washington works to ease the burden of sanction and Islamabad's perilous economic situation.

In fact, the Brownback Amendment which allows the President limited waiver powers has been attached to an omnibus bill and is expected to be passed by Congress on Friday. An earlier amendment attached to a farm bill passed by the Congress was vetoed by Clinton because of other domestic components he did not agree with.