Pakistan-US talks on defence resume today
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WASHINGTON: The United States and Pakistan resume their defence consultation on Monday as relations between the two allies enter a new phase of renewed cooperation.
A Pakistani delegation, headed by Secretary Defence retired Lt Gen Alam Khattak, was to reach Washington on Sunday night for the talks. This will be the 23rd meeting of the US-Pakistan Defence Consultative Group, which was founded to devise joint strategies for combating militancy in the Pak-Afghan area.
The talks are held amid new signs of improvement in relations between the defence establishments of the two countries.
“Tensions of the recent past are being removed and a new consensus is emerging,” said a senior Pakistani diplomat while commenting on the talks. “Now there are more convergences than differences.”
The talks will focus on the post-2014 US military strategy for the Pak-Afghan region and on Pakistan’s campaign to eradicate terrorism.
“There is a realisation that the campaign must target terrorists on both sides of the Pak-Afghan border,” the diplomat said. “Failure on one side will have repercussions on the other side too.”
The Defence Consultative Group allows both sides to exchange views and coordinate defence policy with the goal of strengthening defence cooperation to support each country’s security interests.
In the last meeting, both sides acknowledged that their “defence partnership was vital to regional and international security and that it should continue to endure and grow in the years ahead.”
Published in Dawn December 8th , 2014
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Comments (32) Closed
Dec 08, 2014 08:27am
To combat terrorism, Pakistan has to go all the way to US? Why cant Pakistan itself make strategies and logistics to counter the militancy.
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Dec 08, 2014 09:22am
Also focus of fighting terrorists on Eastern side of Pakistan must continue.
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Dec 08, 2014 09:31am
This has a cost which extremely prosperous Uncle Sam can afford and leave poor nephew for funds to spend on poverty alleviation in Pakistan.
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Dec 08, 2014 09:47am
23rd round. I hope at least once they are sincere to each other.
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Dec 08, 2014 10:10am
@Sunil : That is very naive of you Sunil. Who is gonna pay for all those strategies and logistics? This is just a meeting to align interests and define who is a good taliban and who is a bad taliban. Money has to come into the begging bowl somehow. Else the whole nautanki comes to a stand still.
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Dec 08, 2014 10:14am
@Sunil my dear indian neighbor what is more we need to settle this region down to peace? good and corruption free leadership, militancy is not an issue, issue is corruption and external element's interferrence countinously and without interruption.
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Dec 08, 2014 10:27am
US and west must know Indian occupation of Kashmir, is causing the fire. They want peace, they have to confront India for its evasion on UN resolutions and human rights reports.
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Dec 08, 2014 10:28am
Why is pakistan keep beating around this bush.america would never like pakistan and that is a fact.
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Dec 08, 2014 10:46am
@Zak Keep telling urself that buddy ... u will do great ...
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Dec 08, 2014 10:49am
@Sunil Pakistan creates terrorists to get paid by US to kill them that in turn supports Pakistani GDP.
If the price is right they will even deliver their national hero hafis... to us but the deal has to be cut through US for the obvious reasons of course :)
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Dec 08, 2014 10:59am
@Zak Exactly agreed with you !!
India is responsible for keeping likes of you backward ;) and we will continue to keep the status-quo intact.
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Dec 08, 2014 11:00am
@Sunil Because of Indian involvement
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Dec 08, 2014 11:08am
nothing new Pakistan will be submitting botched up bills in response to CSF coalition support fund :)
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Dec 08, 2014 11:10am
In new Era Indians from their school students to older people are Pakistan focus.
look during Obama visit they were asking qs related to Pak.
All Indians love to comment on dawn.com although this Web has nothing to do with them
Get a life dudes :)
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Dec 08, 2014 11:13am
As US sees it, Pakistan is a national security threat. The same is the case with Afghanistan. Hence its a part of "Af-pak" strategy.
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Dec 08, 2014 11:30am
@Sunil because, Indian occupied Kashmir needs India to be involved, so UN and U.S. have to be involved. IOK cannot continue.
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Dec 08, 2014 11:37am
US is losing its ground in Pakistan and Military embargo that US put on Pakistan during 80's and 90,s is now hurting US and now we have another option (Russia) to fulfill our requirements. Let see now US will offer to us.
In the history, first time we are in top in terms of defense and not depended of western options
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Dec 08, 2014 11:54am
Here we go again. The never ending story. Just sick and tired of it all.
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Dec 08, 2014 12:37pm
America is showing its approval and satisfaction with the Zar-i-Azb operations.
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Dec 08, 2014 12:41pm
@hyat Corruption is a part of democracy, without it, politicians will never run the nation.
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Dec 08, 2014 12:43pm
@sudhakar Tax payers money usually pay for this travel, but in Pakistan, hardly anyone pays or files tax. Its the loan money, which Pakistan got from various International banks and countries.
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Dec 08, 2014 12:45pm
@ali This is called freedom of speech, dude, otherwise there would have been no attack on Hamid Mir of Geo TV.
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Dec 08, 2014 12:48pm
Pakistan has to improve relations with all major players.US is a big help but with constant lecturing and conditions; nothing like that with China and Russia. US need to stop putting restriction in Pakistan like not allowing the Gas pipe line etc.. Civilian improvement projects should not be part of any restriction on any country. US should change it's restrictive strategies, China is moving forward rapidly into small and large countries. Very soon once Ukraine issue will be resolved and Russia will be moving in similar direction as China. EU have strain relations with Turkey, they allowed Poland, Hungary and even Romania to be a member of EU but not Turkey who is a member of NATO since cold war; Reason ? very clear. EU and Turkey and US and Pakistan; same lecturing and restrictions. It's time for US to have a change attitude, circle of influence is changing towards China, who is accommodating every country very well; Russia is their new student.
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Dec 08, 2014 02:38pm
@sudhakar a pauper speaks, let's all listen.
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Dec 08, 2014 03:04pm
@sudhakar
Have you forgotten service charges to be extracted by various stakeholders?
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Dec 08, 2014 06:40pm
Developing an enduring and collaborative relationship with an increasingly stable and prosperous Pakistan that plays a constructive role in the region should be a priority for the United States. Pakistan is fighting against insurgents since long and US should realize the sacrifices given by Pakistanis and Pak Army in eliminating terrorism from its soil and region.
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Dec 08, 2014 06:52pm
@Sunil you are witnessing freedom of speech here on this forum. People like you are getting their hate filled comments printed, simple comments such as women ' tourists need to be careful in India' as they may fall prey to rapists' is removed on your newspapers. Mentioning the Gujarat massacre of Muslims, is reported as abuse and removed. Thank your stars, you all are learning something here.
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Dec 08, 2014 06:54pm
Always perplexed by what the Indians want from the Pakistanis?
The US is in Afghanistan and Pakistan shares its border with Afghanistan. So its imperative the Americans will continue to have countless interactions with Pakistan.
With a friendly Afghan government to Pakistan, and US preparing for an exit, lets hope for a prosperous Af-Pak.
Dont worry thy neighbor in the East. You will be missed.
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Dec 08, 2014 08:00pm
Friendship and cooperation with America is a positive step. Even the founder of Pakistan Mohammad Ali Jinnah supported friendship and cooperation with America. He joined the South East Asia Treaty Organization and Baghdad Pact that worked closely with America. America is not an enemy of Muslims. Vast majority of Islamic countries, specially in Middle East are friends of America. Islam is spreading by leaps and bonds in America and 99.9 % Muslims living in America are friendly with all Americans. This is what Islam teaches, co-exist with all mankind in peace.
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Dec 08, 2014 08:04pm
It is a suggestion - unsolicited ofcource- from a observer from a neighbouring country that stop taking money from America if you want Pakistan to be strong.
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Dec 08, 2014 08:52pm
@Ali-Indian keep on dreaming
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Dec 08, 2014 11:21pm
This war will not be won unless and until we distance ourselves from the US.. I means it's all too simple.. Taliban recruit by giving narative that "fight against US and slaves" and we give counter narative by becoming more of a pet of USA...
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