WASHINGTON: Dismissing media assertions on Islamabad advising Kabul against cooperation with the United States, Pakistan's top diplomat in Washington said quite contrary to such fabrications the three countries are going to hold trilateral talks in early May for progress towards a resolution of the Afghan conflict.
A three-way meeting in Islamabad is scheduled for May 3, Ambassador Husain Haqqani said. He said he was confident that the three countries would be able to move forward in a spirit of togetherness for a resolution of the decade-old Afghan war.
Moreover, DawnNews reported US Special Representative for Pakistan and Afghanistan Marc Grossman as stating that India will play a significant role in Afghanistan.
Speaking to CNN in an appearance on the channels' program Situation Room, Haqqani said: “Very interestingly, only last week Ambassador Grossman and Pakistan's foreign secretary (Salman Bashir) agreed that they are going to try and create a trilateral mechanism. They are having a meeting in Islamabad on May 3.”
Pakistan and the United States have some disagreements on the way forward in Afghanistan, just as the Afghans and the United States have, but they are working together, he said.
The United States has not failed either of the South Asian neighbours, Haqqani said in response to a specific question, while denying claims made in a story in The Wall Street Journal and some other parts of the media.
Ambassador Haqqani also referred to Admiral Mike Mullen's meetings with Pakistani military leaders and his own discussion with US Central Command Chief.
“We are very clear that this is just internal Afghan politics playing out in American newspapers,” he said of the news stories.
Haqqani, answering a question, clarified that Islamabad does not look upon the United States and China as rivals for its friendship.
“China is definitely an all-weather friend of Pakistan. We have been friends of China since 1949. We were the country that helped the United States and China come close together.
“We have never looked upon the United States and China as rivals for our friendship,” he said, adding Islamabad respects its friendship with both powers.
In the regional context, Haqqani said Pakistan and its western neighbour Afghanistan now enjoy a “warm relationship,” in contrast with the past nature of relations.
Besides, Pakistan is also working to build good relations with India, he said.
“We will have a lot of such stories as we move forward. The key thing is that all three players — the United States, Afghanistan and Pakistan — understand that the way forward is: we have to defeat some people in Afghanistan and we have to engage certain people.”
“We want to move forward as partners and friends.”
He told anchor Wolf Blitzer that the American assistance for Pakistan is in America's own security interests.
“American aid to Pakistan is a means to ensuring American security. The 9/11 incident happened because America turned its back on Pakistan and Afghanistan, ignored what was happening there. Al Qaeda found a home in Afghanistan. So right now, it is not the time to cut assistance to either Pakistan or Afghanistan.”
But Haqqani made it clear that Pakistan does not want to become dependent on American assistance.
“We do not want to take money from American taxpayers forever. We want to be able to build our country in a manner in which we can move forward on our own steam. And that is the objective.”
“I think Pakistan, Afghanistan and the United States will work together,” he said in reference to the importance of trilateral process.
The ambassador noted that Secretary of State Hillary Clinton was committed to this process and was expected to be in the region.
“We hope we will be moving together and that these stories are going to die as many similar stories have died in the past.”
Dear visitor, the comments section is undergoing an overhaul and will return soon.