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WASHINGTON: The United States needs to further a reconciliation process in the Pak-Afghan region which is led by both key players, Afghanistan and Pakistan, says Senator John Kerry.

The senator, who heads the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, the main foreign policy-making body in the US Congress, also urged Washington to re-establish a relationship with Islamabad which would go beyond the Afghan crisis.

In a policy statement on the floor of the Senate, Mr Kerry noted that “there is increasing anxiety in Pakistan about how the war ends in Afghanistan and what implications this will have for regional stability”.

The US senator also noted that “many on both sides are questioning the value and meaning of strategic partnership”.

Acknowledging that it would be difficult to rebuild this partnership, he said: “The truth is we have a lot of work to do to rebuild a productive relationship. Despite our many frustrations and setbacks, we still have more to gain by finding common ground.”

The senator noted that Pakistan faced major challenges today, including an economic and fiscal crisis, a growing insurgency within its borders and cities, and chronic energy shortages.Explaining why the US needs to help Pakistan overcome these challenges, Senator Kerry said: “Whether it is finding a political solution in Afghanistan, reducing militancy, supporting democracy and civil society, or promoting economic and development reforms, the basic fact is that our interests do converge.”

Both countries, however, now faced the challenge of finding ways to act together in common purpose, when and where possible, he added.

“For instance, on Afghanistan, we need to make our goals and strategy absolutely clear. Pakistan has a constructive role to play in forging a durable political settlement that will bring an end to this war,” he said.

“And while we have often been frustrated by the divergence of policies on Afghanistan, it remains important that we work together to further a reconciliation process that is Pakistan-Afghan led and supported by the region’s key players.”

Warning against recklessness and political brinkmanship, he said: “This is a time for us to be careful, to be thoughtful, and to proceed deliberately but determinately — as I believe we are — to strengthen our relationship and confront our common challenges.”