Pakistan, US near a ‘deal’
By: Maqbool Malik | May 14, 2012
ISLAMABAD - The US and Pakistan achieved significant progress in the exhaustive weekend talks, sparking speculations Nato would invite Pakistan to Chicago Conference in return for country’s pledge to reopen ground supply routes of the western military alliance.
Diplomatic sources told The Nation both sides achieved appreciable success in Sunday’s interaction at the forum of Pak-Afghan-Isaf Trilateral Commission and on its sidelines.
In a sign of easing tensions, the meeting came almost six months after US airstrikes killed 24 Pakistani soldiers, prompting the country to take retaliatory measures, including suspension of vital ground supplies of the Nato forces.
US General John Allen, Pakistani army chief General Ashfaq Kayani and Afghan army chief General Sher Muhammad Karimi led their respective delegations at the trilateral military moot, primarily aimed at solving border management and coordination issues.
Apart from talks between the Gen Kiyani and Isaf commander Gen John Allen, US technical teams remained busy in talks with their Pakistani counterparts to work out the nitty-gritty of the potential deal Pakistan and Nato are struggling to conclude.
Pakistan’s ambassador Sherry Rehman was also busy with senior officials of the US State Department to achieve some grounds to move forward, while Pakistan is also pursuing an indirect diplomatic path through the United Kingdom in breaking the impasse in ties with US.
Unconfirmed reports said Nato has agreed to send formal invitation to Pakistan for participation in the Chicago Conference that would discuss US and Nato’s forces draw down plans.
This would follow Pakistan’s opening of Nato land supply routes to Afghanistan, paving way for a deeper Pak-US engagement to reset their ties.
Sources were of the view that the US could provide Pakistan with more than $1 billion, which Islamabad badly needs for country’s national budget for the year 2012-2013.
Pakistan government has been saying that it would revisit bilateral ties in the light of parliamentary recommendations, calling for halt to drone attacks and an unconditional US apology over Salala boderposts attacks.But the US has not been forthcoming on both these fronts.
“US respects the parliamentary recommendations but it is entirely up to the President Obama’s Administration to decide which one of them was acceptable for mutual benefit and which one not”, a US diplomat said.
The US Embassy spokesman Mark Stroh remarked that good thing is that both sides were still talking to each other to reach a conclusion.
Sources within the European diplomatic missions in Islamabad also sounded upbeat that serious talks were underway to break the ice between Pakistan and United States and that Pakistan would most likely be invited to the two-day Nato Summit on May 20-21.
They were hopeful that Pakistan’s Defence Committee of Cabinet would decide to reopen Nato’s ground supplies in its Tuesday’s meeting. According to informed sources, Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani during his visit to the United Kingdom had also given such indications to the senior British government officials.
In an official response, ISPR said about the Trilateral Commission meeting: “Talks focused on border control measures, and mechanisms put in place to avoid untoward incidents on both sides of the Pak-Afghan Border.”
On Saturday General Allen held preliminary talks with General Kayani on how to improve security in volatile areas bordering the two countries. The talks are the most significant Pakistan has hosted with the international military alliance and the Afghan military for nearly a year.After Monday’s sessions Gen Allen said he was “very encouraged” by the talks.
“There was agreement these meetings are important to achieving continued progress toward... a peaceful Afghanistan so that Afghanistan can no longer be a safe haven for terrorists,” Allen said, according to an Isaf statement.
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