March 26, 2008	Wednesday	Rabi-ul-Awwal 17, 1429

WASHINGTON, March 25: The US decision to send Deputy US Secretary of State John Negroponte and Assistant Secretary of State Richard Boucher to Pakistan on the day the new prime minister took the oath is being seen in the US capital as indicating the importance Washington attaches to Pakistan’s role in the war against terror.

“The visit was planned to ensure that they arrive after the country has a new leadership,” said Pakistan’s US ambassador Mahmud Durrani. “Their talks will cover all aspects of bilateral relations with an emphasis on Pakistan’s role in the war on terror.”

At the State Department, spokesman Sean McCormack said the purpose of the visit was “really to reinforce with the new government that we look forward to working with them – certainly, talk about our interests. And certainly, we’re going to hear back from them their interests as well as their initial thoughts on a number of different issues.”

Asked what was America’s primary interest in Pakistan, Mr McCormack said: “Our primary interest there is helping the Pakistani people broaden and deepen the political and economic reform process that has begun in that country, and also to work with them to combat the threat that exists to Pakistan and the Pakistani people, as well as to us and others in the region, from terrorists and violent extremists.”

Mr McCormack insisted that Pakistan’s development was linked to its efforts to fight terrorists. “The broadening and deepening of political and economic reforms are, in our view, inextricably linked in the fight against violent extremism,” he said.

The US delegation, Mr McCormack said, would like to hear from the new Pakistani leaders “their plans, their policies (and) how they see the situation unfolding.”

Diplomatic sources told Dawn that the US administration is particularly concerned about statements attributed to Nawaz Sharif and Asif Zardari that they are willing to reopen a dialogue with the militants.

“They will share with the new Pakistani government what the US knows about the militants and how it believes they can be dealt with,” said a senior diplomat who did not want to be identified.

“They would also like to see how the new leaders will conduct the proposed dialogue, who will talk to and who among the militants they believe can respond positively to such gestures.”

Last week, US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice publicly expressed concern over the reports of an intended dialogue with the militants and recalled that a similar attempt in the past allowed the militants to regroup and rearm.

Diplomatic sources in Washington say that the US delegation’s meeting with Mr Sharif was particularly important. There has been a change of heart in Washington since the Feb 18 election on Mr Sharif’s alleged past links with religious parties. The US administration now desires to see how Mr Sharif proposes to use his influence to deal with the militancy.

“Yet the United States is firm in its commitment to fight the militants,” said a senior diplomatic source. “While the Americans may consider proposals for a dialogue with the militants, they do want military operations to stop, not even briefly.”

Sources said the US delegation has taken with it operational plans for training the Frontier Constabulary, details of the logistic support the US receives from Pakistan and other similar information directly linked to the war on terror.

A congressional proposal for giving financial assistance to Pakistan for strengthening democracy may also be discussed in meetings between US officials and Pakistani leaders, sources said.

Another issue that the United States is interested in is that of the judiciary. Washington has never supported the demand for reinstating the judges because of the fear that if restored, they may release terror suspects in Pakistan’s custody.The US administration now wants to see how the new leadership will deal with this issue.