Seeing improvement in US-Pakistan ties since the resumption of key Pakistani supplies corridor into Afghanistan, Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta has voiced the hope for bilateral cooperation in identifying sanctuaries on both sides of the Afghan border for their respective anti-militant actions.
He also revealed that top American commanders including chairman Joint Chiefs Staff and Centcom chief would be meeting with Pakistani army chief to follow up discussions on cooperation along the porous border, where militants play havoc with lives.
Panetta spoke in the backdrop of a year of strained ties between the two countries. Panetta’s remarks also marked an important recognition that militants operated out of sanctuaries on both sides of the restive Afghan border. “We’re also encouraged, frankly, that Pakistan has now taken a more positive, visible step to advance our shared objective of a — of a secure and peaceful Afghanistan,” Panetta said. An area where the two countries are making “particular progress” is trying to “develop better cross-border operations so that both the Pakistanis and the United States and Afghans are working on those border areas to identify terrorists who are creating havoc there.” In response to a question about Pakistan-India relations, Panetta observed that stability in the region depended on the two South Asian countries working together.
“One of the things I’ve always tried to stress in that region is the importance of India and Pakistan working together to — to deal with the issues that — that they confront. The US defense secretary said in meetings with Pakistani officials, he always stresses the common cause the two countries should have with regards to confronting terrorism. In his remarks, Panetta also drew attention to Pakistani army chief’s Independence Day, speech in Abbottabad, noting “it sounds the right themes in seeing his understanding of the challenge (of curbing terrorism).”
