The US State Department put up a statement on its website, saying: “In light of the political changes in Pakistan and after discussions with Afghan and Pakistani officials in Washington, it was agreed to postpone the trilateral meeting scheduled for Feb 23-24.”
Since the State Department does not issue such statements during the weekend, the decision to announce the postponement on a Saturday led to speculations that it was “more than a mere administrative move”, as a diplomatic source told Dawn.
The department’s spokesman Philip Crowley, however, said that the US “look(s) forward to convening a very productive trilateral meeting at the earliest opportunity.”
In the same statement, Mr Crowley also underlined the US desire to continue the dialogue process aimed at improving relations between Pakistan and Afghanistan. “We remain committed to robust engagement between Afghanistan, Pakistan, and the United States, as we share many issues of mutual concern and benefit from being at the same table,” he said.
But diplomatic sources in Washington claimed that the real reason for the suspension was the dispute involving Raymond Davis, the employee of the US consulate in Lahore.
Mr Davis, 36, is charged with shooting two men on a motorcycle on Jan 25 in Lahore. On Friday, police accused Mr Davis of “cold-blooded murder” and the US responded with thinly veiled threats to sever financial assistance and access for Pakistan unless he is released immediately.
Soon after Mr Davis was formally charged in a court in Lahore, the US media reported that Washington would suspend an invitation to Pakistan’s foreign minister to attend trilateral talks.
The report, quoting official sources, was released before the federal cabinet in Islamabad was changed.
Diplomatic sources in Washington say that the post of the foreign minister was kept vacant to use the reshuffle as an excuse for justifying the suspension of the Washington talks.
US officials, who spoke to the US media, indicated that the Obama administration may also slow-down visa processing for Pakistanis seeking to come to the US.
Another option being considered in Washington is to cut back military and educational training programmes with the Pakistani armed forces, the media reported.
The US government may also cut back civilian educational, scientific, cultural and local and state government exchanges with Pakistan, the US media said.
The US media also noted that cancelling the trilateral meeting in Washington “would be a significant slap” as Pakistan uses the forum as a means to assert influence in Afghanistan.
Last week, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton refused to meet Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi at a security conference in Munich, Germany, forcing him to cancel his visit.
Meanwhile, ABC News reported that US President Barack Obama also contacted President Asif Zardari over the Davis case, urging him to honour diplomatic immunity for Mr Davis.
A US Congressman Jason Chaffetz of Utah is moving an amendment to Congress’ must-pass spending bill next week that would cut off US aid to Pakistan.
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