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Two nations keen to revamp ties after years of tensions
Islamabad: The United States and Pakistan agreed yesterday to re-establish a full partnership, hoping to end years of acrimony over US drone strikes on Pakistani soil, the raid that killed Osama Bin Laden and other grievances.
We are here to speak honestly with each other, openly about any gaps that may exist that we want to try to bridge, US Secretary of State John Kerry said during an unannounced visit to Islamabad. Our people deserve that we talk directly.
Besides the killing of Bin Laden in a Pakistani town by US Navy SEALs in 2011, bilateral ties have also been severely strained by Pakistans support for Taliban insurgents fighting Western troops in Afghanistan as well as a Nato air attack in which 24 Pakistani soldiers were killed.
Both sides are now keen to overcome the grievances and start afresh, a shift in priorities they hope is possible with a new government in Pakistan and a new secretary of state in the United States.
With Pakistans economy badly in need of support and the United States keen on smoothly withdrawing most of its troops from neighbouring Afghanistan next year, both sides will see positives in repairing the relationship.
Speaking after talks with Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif in Islamabad, Kerry - who as a senator sponsored legislation to provide $7 billion (Dh25.7 billion) in assistance to Pakistan over five years said the two countries were serious about overcoming past irritants.
US, Pakistan to re-establish