- State Department says secretary of state to reinforce continuing US commitment to Pakistan
US Secretary of State John Kerry landed in Pakistan late on Wednesday evening on an unannounced visit for talks with the new PML-N government on ways to tame insurgents and stabilise neighbouring Afghanistan.
Kerry will try to put a fresh focus on a relationship severely strained by US drone strikes which Pakistan says breach its sovereignty, and the raid by US special forces which killed Osama bin Laden in a Pakistani town in 2011.
“Our issues that we will discuss with the Pakistanis are counterterrorism, cross-border militancy, the economic agenda and how we can continue to partner in terms of promoting a secure and stable Afghanistan,” a senior US official told reporters travelling with Kerry.
The US official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif had taken “pretty remarkable” steps in the short time since assuming power to address domestic economic problems such as power shortages.
Meanwhile, US State Department Spokeswoman Jen Psaki in a statement said Secretary Kerry was in Pakistan “for consultations with the newly-elected civilian government and to reinforce the United States’ continuing commitment to the Pakistani people”.
“Secretary Kerry’s discussions will focus on a wide range of topics including promoting security, strengthening the Pakistani economy, and reinforcing people-to-people ties between the United States and Pakistan, in addition to regional topics of mutual interest,” the statement added.
The spokeswoman noted that while Kerry had travelled to Pakistan in the past as a US senator, this was his first visit as secretary of state.
Kerry will also stop in London for meetings en route back to Washington.
The statement did not specifically mention Afghanistan conflict going on Pakistan’s western border, reflecting the visit’s emphasis on bilateral ties.
But South Asian analysts say the United States needs Pakistan’s key support with success of an Afghan-led reconciliation process as Washington wants to have a smooth drawdown from Afghanistan and leave a relatively stable country behind after 2014.
Washington also needs Islamabad’s cost-effective overland routes for transportation of supplies into and return of military gear from landlocked Afghanistan after the longest US-led war.
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Kerry is a looser …
Shame I ever voted for him …
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We share a common stance against terrorism, and our shared will and desire to stabilize the region continues to binds us together. It is easy to see that our nations are working hard to create a healthy working relationship. We’ve seen the negatives of staying on the opposites sides of the fence, and at the same time, we’ve greatly benefited from working closely. It only makes sense for us to be on the same page for the betterment of the region. These meetings allow us to address any shared concerns in regards to our common objectives. We are working hard to build on our improving relationship. We’ve always said that we cannot have a stable region without a stable Pakistan. We’ve always appreciated all of Pakistan’s sacrifices in the region and look forward to maintaining a good working relationship for the safety of our nations.
Ali Khan
DET, United States Central Command
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