LAHORE
The Pak-US strategic dialogue has been upgraded and is based on equality, which allows both sides to demand “do more” to minimise the trust deficit, Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi said on Sunday.
“This time, it was a two-way communication unlike the past, which could be marked as a success and a change in the pattern of thinking of the US President Barack Obama’s administration,” he told a press conference at the State Guest House.
“During the talks, we agreed to dispel the impression of tough talking and to promote friendly gesture to have better bilateral ties,” he added. Detailing about the 3rd round of the Pak-US talks, the minister said that this was the first time that the dialogue was documented, instead of verbal commitments.
“There were no institutionalised memories in the past, but now both teams prepared vision papers that set multifarious benchmarks, so that written references could be made available for the next round of talks,” he told the media. Qureshi said the talks incorporated 13 sectors, including energy, water, agriculture, health, education, trade, security and the war on terrorism.
“During the Pak-US dialogue, we made America accept our demands through solid arguments, instead of playing the role of a silent spectator,” he said. “As a result of extensive meetings of defence working groups, the US agreed to provide $7.5 billion dollars under a five-year economic assistance and security assistance programme to enhance the country’s counter-insurgency capabilities.”
The foreign minister said the US had also announced its financial assistance for the Gomal Zam and Sattia Para dams and also for the Bhasha Dam in the near future. He said the US president wanted to strengthen Pakistan-US ties.
“As part of the next round, the president will visit the US and later President Barack Obama will have an exclusive, planned and focused visit to Pakistan in 2011,” the foreign minister said. Qureshi said, “We also pressed the US to play its role to address the Kashmir issue.”
He said Pakistan wanted cordial relations with India and the resolution of Kashmir dispute was in India’s interest as well. “We also reiterated our resolve to address the Dr Aafia Siddiqui case and the government will take all measures for her release,” the foreign minister said.
Qureshi said Pakistan also underscored the need of a Pak-US civil nuclear deal on the footings of the Indo-US civil nuclear treaty, without any discrimination. “Pakistan has a 35-year experience in handling nuclear technology without any untoward incident, and this qualifies us for the civil nuclear technology transfer from the US,” he said.
“Pakistan has the technology as well as technicians and can run a civil nuclear programme efficiently.” With regards to US reservations on the Iran-Pakistan gas pipeline, he said neither the US nor Pakistan raised the issue. “Pakistan had entered the deal with Iran keeping in view its energy needs.”
To a question on a possible military operation in North Waziristan Agency, Qureshi said the “armed forces have taken effective measures in the Tribal Areas and Pakistan’s security agencies were advancing in a systemic way in the area”, adding that the presence of 34,000 troops in the area highlighted the country’s level of preparedness.
To a query on Afghanistan, he said, “As far as Afghanistan is concerned, Pakistan and the US have convergence of interests and both want a peaceful and stable Afghanistan”. Commenting on the CIA, Qureshi said all security agencies had close links with each other across the world.
“Pakistan does share information with the CIA, as it is in our common interests,” the foreign minister said. Qureshi said he had “had a chance meeting with PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif on my return from the US and I briefed him on the strategic dialogue during the flight.”
