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No more drone strikes during Taliban talks, US assures Pakistan
ISLAMABAD: The United States has promised that it will not carry out any drone strikes in Pakistan during any peace talks with Taliban militants in the future, the Prime Minister's Special Advisor on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz said Wednesday.
Briefing a session of the Senate's Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs in Islamabad, Aziz said a team of government negotiators was prepared to hold talks with former Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) chief Hakimullah Mehsud on Nov 2, the day after he was killed in a US drone strike in North Waziristan.
Aziz said Mehsud had been sent a list of negotiators, and that the ex-TTP chief himself had added the names of two clerics to be part of the team.
However, Aziz said the peace process had been on hold since Mehsud's killing and that the negotiations had been badly affected by the Nov 1 drone strike.
The foreign affairs advisor said the US had assured that no drone strikes would be carried out during any peace talks. However, he did not clarify when the US had given this assurance.
Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan had told reporters last week that the process of peace talks could not be taken forward unless drone attacks on Pakistani soil are halted.
Nisar had said that the drone attack that killed Mehsud 'sabotaged' the government's efforts to strike peace with anti-state militants.
Comments (19) Closed
USA must not stop drone strikes. It will be big mistake.
US has no respect for Pakistan's Sovereignty, and the word of no strike does not come fro US either. Sartaj Aziz's statement does not carry any weight until it is not confirmed by the State Department.
@Mir: Think wht would be your reaction if these drones would fly over your house?
If the drone strikes are to stop during peace talks the Militants must stop their strikes too.
who allowed drone strike in Pak?Pakistan has to select either USA or Taliban.
US drones are helpful in killing terrorists but on the other hand many innocent people are also killed.. this move creates more terrorists..Drone attack is good thing but with more negative impacts..there should be a dialogue..as US is doing with Afghan terrorists..
@amad: Couldn't agree more.
It is a good news.But Taliban must also stop all sorts of violence and come to the dialogue table.Now no lame excuses and hanky panky..
Is he fooling the nation or himself? I yet to see same news on international channels
Prime Minister's Special Advisor on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz must be clear that the US, force on us the carrot and stick policy. They know which side to be fed.
Seems to me that if the USA was interested in improving it's image with the Pakistani people then they would be making this statement - the fact that their not would seem to indicate that Pakistan govt isn't being honest/forthright which isn't surprising when it comes to drones.
who is going is believe Sartaj Aziz and their so called govt ? and above all who will trust USA anymore ? ....
First and foremost, it is simply imperative for us to prevent any mistrust from forming between our nations. Our decade long partnership has shown the importance of our combined efforts against our common enemies. We
US should drone attack the home of the Paki politicians...these politicians are the real cancer of the country.
ok so no drone strikes but Taliban have not stopped their killing yet should they also not stop? why should drone strikes stop if Taliban continue to kill?
A swift reply of US Government to Aziz's statement.
Congratulations Mr. Sartaj Aziz..... US has just broadened its strke region from FATA to KPK. But it should not bother you because you are not the ruling party in KPK.
@amad
I really don't care as long as it hits the right target.
Sartaj Aziz lied and got caugt within a day.