ISLAMABAD: Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) Deputy Chief Michael Morell is in Islamabad on a clandestine visit, which is part of the Obama administration’s efforts to mitigate the damage caused to the Pak-US relations by recent disclosures by WikiLeaks.
In a significant development, American military commander in Afghanistan, General David Petraeus will also arrive in Islamabad today (Monday) for a day-long visit to meet Pakistan’s top political leadership and Army Chief General Ashfaq Kayani. Gen Petraeus too will discuss the impact of WikiLeaks’ disclosures with Pakistani leaders along with other issues of mutual interest.
Pakistani Foreign Ministry would not give the schedule and the purpose of the CIA official’s visit to Islamabad, but an official wishing not to be named said Morell was in Islamabad since Saturday night and will be in Pakistan until Tuesday.
“The US official will meet the president, prime minister and other senior officials in Islamabad to gauge the negative impact that the disclosures of diplomatic cables have had on the Pakistan-US relations,” he said.
Alberto Rodriguez, spokesman of the US embassy in Islamabad, refused to confirm or deny Morrell’s visit.
However, another Foreign Ministry official confirmed the visit and said the CIA deputy chief was also likely to call on the army chief.
“It’s an important visit and the CIA deputy chief will try his best to convince Pakistani authorities about Obama administration’s dissociation with the diplomatic cables and brief them about efforts not only aimed at damage control, but also to block such things in the future,” he said.
He said Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi was also likely to visit the US following Morrell’s trip to discuss the aftermath events of the WikiLeaks fiasco.
