The last minute invitation to President Zardari to attend the Chicago Nato summit has not generated the expected warmth from the member countries especially from the US President.
US officials have been quoted as saying that it is due to the closure of the Nato supply route through Pakistan that the US used ‘no meeting with Obama’ pressure in an attempt to force Pakistan to re-open the routes. Secretary Clinton during her meeting with President Zardari presented Washington’s list of demands comprising opening of the Nato route, ending support for the militants and taking the issue of apology off the list of issues to be addressed.
President Zardari, however, in his usual disarming smiling way stuck to his guns and said that it is the parliament’s decision. His tenacity forced the US administration to have second thoughts and indications are already there for a possible tripartite meeting between Barack Obama, Hamid Karzai and Asif Ali Zardari. How I wish, when the time for this meeting comes, President Zardari is caught up with ‘common cold’ and forced to take rest in his hotel suite till all Nato cows return to their homes. That would be the most befitting rebuff to Obama’s cold shoulder to our President! It will not only immortalise AAZ but endear him immensely in to the hearts of 180 million
MEHAK ALI NAQVI
Karachi
At least in Chicago, AZ did not do such a bad job.
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