ISLAMABAD, Sept 27: As the hosts of Bonn and Istanbul conferences are getting worried that increased bickering between Pakistan and the United States could derail key international initiatives for a political settlement in Afghanistan, senior diplomats of both countries (Pakistan and the US) have started discussing the two conferences.

The conferences were the focus of discussions US Principal Deputy Secretary for South and Central Asian Affairs Geoffrey Pyatt had with Foreign Secretary Salman Bashir on Tuesday.

US Ambassador Cameron Munter also attended the meeting which took place against the backdrop of heightened tensions between Islamabad and Washington over allegations by the latter about ISI’s links with the Haqqani network.

The meeting, however, did not directly address the tense bilateral ties. Rather, Foreign Office spokesperson Tehmina Janjua said, the perspective of the meeting was regional. Additionally the “New Silk Road” concept was also discussed, she added.

The concept envisages trade and transportation through Afghanistan and can help bring the divisive regional players together and attract investment in the region.

A senior German diplomat, in a private conversation, confirmed that his country, which is hosting the ‘Bonn+10 Conference’, thought that problems in Pakistan-US ties did not augur well for the two conferences.

An Afghan diplomat expressed similar concern. Afghanistan will chair the Bonn conference in December.

Other diplomats said they had little hopes the two conferences would pave way for any progress towards a political accord under the present scenario.

The Bonn and Istanbul conferences aim at strengthening international support for Afghanistan and are believed to be crucial for the nascent reconciliation process which already suffered a major setback because of the assassination of High Peace Council chairman Prof Burhanuddin Rabbani.

The Taliban, a predominantly Pakhtun warring group, will not be represented in the Afghan delegation at the conferences. Pakistan thinks that the Taliban should be given an important role in any negotiated settlement.

By Baqir Sajjad Syed