ISLAMABAD: At the end of a week that witnessed hectic Pakistan and the United States military and intelligence contacts for easing tensions in bilateral ties, the Foreign Office sought to deny that the two countries suffered from a disconnect in their strategic perspectives and said efforts were being made for a ‘win-win’ outcome for both sides.
“We believe that strategic convergence exists between the two sides, which we are working to convert into win-win for both sides,” Foreign Office Spokesperson Tehmina Janjua said on Saturday at the weekly media briefing.
Her remarks came as ISI Chief Lt Gen Ahmed Shuja Pasha returned from Washington after a brief trip, which was described by both sides as helpful in improving understanding of each other’s position and exploring ways for moving forward with the relationship that had hit a rough patch.
Earlier in the week Centcom Commander Gen James Mattis, outgoing ISAF Commander in Afghanistan Gen David Petraeus and Lt Gen John Allen, who takes over the coalition command from next Monday, visited Rawalpindi for meetings with Pakistani military leaders.
The spokesperson’s comments on existence of strategic convergence contrasted the strong differences over counter-terrorism strategies that had virtually pushed the two allies in the war on terror to a break-up in the aftermath of the May 2 raid on Osama bin Laden compound in Abbottabad. The divergences in their goals for Afghanistan are all too obvious.
Pakistan wants curtailment of Indian influence in Afghanistan, which it perceives as a threat to its strategic interests, whereas the US is focussed on Al Qaeda and affiliated groups in total disregard of the regional realities.
Emphasising on the significance Pakistan attached to ties with the US, Ms Janjua said the two countries shared a number of values and were cooperating in a range of areas in addition to their collaboration in counter-terror efforts.
“We share values of democracy, upholding human dignity which is a fundamentally Islamic concept, and human development. There are a number of areas in which both countries are collaborating in which the people of Pakistan are expected to benefit,” she noted.
Referring to a conversation between US Deputy Secretary of State Thomas Nides and Finance Minister Dr Abdul Hafeez Sheikh, Ms Janjua said Obama administration had assured continuation of civilian aid, whereas negotiations were continuing for resumption of suspended military assistance.
Washington has further indicated that it was ready to align its civilian assistance programme in accordance with Islamabad’s priorities including investment in signature energy projects like Diamer-Bhasha Dam.
However, she said that while rebooting the relationship with the US ‘course correction’, would be done in accordance with the resolution of a joint session of parliament held to discuss the unilateral US raid in which Bin Laden was killed.
INDIA: The Working Group on Cross-LOC CBMs relating to trade and travel of Kashmiris will meet in New Delhi on July18.
Director General South Asia, Ms Zehra Akbari, will lead the Pakistan delegation to the meeting. The meeting of the group had been agreed at foreign secretaries’ talks in Islamabad last month.
The meeting of the Pakistan-India foreign ministers, the spokesperson said, would be held in New Delhi at the end of this month. The meeting would be preceded by another meeting of the two foreign secretaries. Although Ms Janjua said dates were being worked out for the meetings, reports from Delhi suggested that they were likely to be held on July 26-27.