Foreign Secretary Bashir and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton met on Thursday during Pak-US steering group discussions at the State Department in effort to repair relations amid increasing tensions between the two uneasy allies over host of issues, including the US drone strikes and clandestine CIA operations. The top American diplomat, who appeared at the meeting, reportedly said that the two countries should ‘work and succeed together’.
But a senior Pentagon official said that cooperation with the US comes at a cost - do more. Pakistan must meet certain expectations on counter-terrorism, including abidance to human rights standards and making economic reforms in order to maintain the ‘level’ of US assistance it has been receiving, Under Secretary of Defence for Policy, Michele Flournoy said in a TV interview.
“One of the things the Pakistanis have experienced themselves is that, you know, for Congress to support the level of assistance that we provide to them, both civilian and military, certain expectations have to be met, whether it’s cooperation in counter-terrorism, whether it’s abiding by human rights standards, whether it’s dealing with the IMF to make economic reforms,” she said.
“There are things that I think undergird the ability of the international community to support them. And so we are very open in our dialogue with them, we’re being very clear about the kinds of things that are necessary for us to be able to continue our support,” Flournoy told ‘Charlie Rose show’ on the Public Broadcasting System (PBS).
She said US was trying to convince Pakistan that they too have a stake in a stable Afghanistan, in a stable region, in reasserting governance over their own territory. “We view Al-Qaeda, Haqqani, Taliban, these are all part of a syndicate of groups that help each other. The Pakistanis tend to make finer distinctions between them - you know, not being tolerated - tolerant to some, like Al-Qaeda, but otherwise tolerating others. We are trying to work with them to shift that perspective and shift that calculus,” she said.
The Pentagon official said that Pakistan needs to continue and improve cooperation across the range on counter-terrorism. “I also think in other areas beyond the range of the Defence Department where, I sit. In the economic domain, there are a number of economic reforms we’d like to see them make to be able to be - have our economic assistance be more effective as well,” she said.Flournoy, however, said she was satisfied that Pakistan had taken a number of steps to ensure that the nuclear arsenal they have was secure.
Meanwhile, Pakistan told the United States Friday that its drone attacks strategy in pursuit of militants inside the Pakistani territory was counterproductive and should be reviewed.
“This particular methodology is counterproductive and needs a review,” Foreign Secretary Salman Bashir said in statement couched in diplomatic language. He made that point while speaking at a joint media appearance with the US Special Representative for Pakistan and Afghanistan, Ambassador Marc Grossman, at the Pakistan Embassy.
“Pakistan values its relations with the United States - we had satisfying discussions, we have agreed to give a new momentum to relations in the coming weeks” with the visit of Ambassador Grossman to Pakistan next week and possibly Secretary Hillary Clinton’s visit in May for the next round of strategic dialogue, Bashir said.
Grossman, for his part, reiterated Washington’s resolve to pursuing a long-term relationship with Pakistan. “My visit to Pakistan next week will show an effort to have a relationship that is strategic, long-term and mutually beneficial.”
Foreign Secretary Bashir, responding to a question, said that Predators are seen as an important tool in counterterrorism in the region. “That is not exactly the way we look at (this) - these attacks are a source of concern.”
Grossman would not speak specifically on any counterterrorism strategy but claimed all efforts against terrorism are designed to make life safer for Pakistanis and Americans.
He noted that “are going to be ups and downs in the relationship” but added they want to make sure that no misunderstandings are allowed to derail the relationship.
During the talks that Grossman led with Foreign Secretary Bashir, the American official reiterated the Obama Administration’s commitment to the people of Pakistan and their economic development.
In answer to a question, Foreign Secretary Bashir agreed there could be differences of perceptions. The United States, he said, has a global approach while Islamabad has a regional perspective. “Pakistan national interests have to find a better understanding,” he said, adding continuous engagement would help move toward a better mutual understanding.
Bashir also made it clear that Pakistan would play the role of a facilitator and supporter in the Afghan-led process in search of a political solution to the lingering conflict.
At the same time, Bashir underscored the importance of proceeding with “greater interaction and greater clarity” both in form and substance in efforts towards Afghan solution.
Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani visited Kabul last week, he said, referring to Pakistan’s supportive role.
Grossman said there would be meetings of various sectors under the strategic cooperation and vowed the US would endeavour that the strategic dialogue has meaning, in terms of delivering on commitments.
Meanwhile, Officials said US Special Representative for Pakistan and Afghanistan Marc Grossman will visit Pakistan next week.
Salman Bashir was assured by his American interlocutors that Washington stands for stability of Pakistan as a stable Pakistan is in the interest of everyone, including the United States, Pakistan’s Ambassador to the United States Husain Haqqani said. “We also underscored the importance of a peaceful and stable Afghanistan,” he said of discussions.
Both sides ‘shared their strategic vision’, at a meeting of the steering group - led by Foreign Secretary Bashir and Ambassador Grossman – as they met to stress common objectives towards anti-terror success, Haqqani said.
Online adds: Pakistan had made it clear to the United States that it will take a final decision on when and how to launch a military operation in the North Waziristan, said Ambassador Haqqani.
Addressing a news conference after meeting between Foreign Secretary Salman Bashir and Hillary Clinton, he said the international community should acknowledge Pakistan’s sacrifices in the ongoing war against terrorism.
Pakistan and America, he said, have a stance that bilateral relations between both countries should continue, despite differences on some issues. He declared the meeting between Salman Bashir and Hillary Clinton as successful.
During the meeting, he said both sides had decided to remove misunderstandings through dialogue.
Replying to a question about US drone strikes, he refused to give any clear answer but said Pakistan had a clear stance on such attacks and it had been conveyed to US.
When asked about statement delivered by US Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Adm Mike Mullen with regard to ISI links with Haqqani network, he said it was his (Mike Mullen) personal opinion and it can not affect Pak-US relations.
No doubt there are differences between Pakistan and US on some issue but there are also some issues which can be tackled only through joint efforts, he said, adding that there are many people in Pakistan even in government who have reservations on some clauses of US policies.
Responding to another question, he said the statement delivered by Army Chief Gen Ashfaq Parvez Kayani should not be considered as answer to Mullen’s statement.
It is a reality that US media and think thank have never admired Pakistani’s success and efforts in war against terrorism, he complained.
