ISLAMABAD-
United States Ambassador to Pakistan Richard Olson has conveyed US’s support for Pakistan on its efforts for establishing a writ of state within the country but, he added, it was up to the state to decide how to achieve this goal.
“How Pakistan views matters of its internal security or I would say is up to” Islamabad but his country was “supportive of Pakistani efforts to establish writ of State through all of its territory. But the question of how that is done is up to Pakistanis.”
During a media briefing at the US embassy on Friday, Olson said that it was up to Islamabad to view matters concerning internal security.
His country was “supportive of Pakistani efforts to establish writ of state through all of its territory but the question of how that is done is up to Pakistanis,” said Olson.
The briefing followed the strategic dialogue in Washington on Monday between the two countries. Olson had also attended the meeting.
Pakistan was led at the dialogue by the prime minister’s Advisor on National Security and Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz while US was represented by Secretary of State John Kerry.
Olson said the basic purpose of the strategic dialogue was to review the relations of the two states and to discuss progress of the five working groups on energy, economic issues, defence, strategic and non-proliferation and law enforcement and counter-terrorism.
The point of strategic dialogue has not been to come up with “specific deliverables,” so seen in that context, it does not have an outcome. However, “these talks have helped both sides to have a clear understanding of the other side,” he said.
He describe the strategic dialogue as “a successful attempt to elevate our discussion on bilateral relationship and our partnership” to secure a prosperous and stable Pakistan.
Both sides took in to account the regional issues, Pakistan’s economical development and the regional environment in context of American drawdown from Afghanistan in 2014 during the talks.
On the US drones attacks on Pakistan’s border areas with Afghanistan, Olson declined to add to what had already been stated by American president Barack Obama in his State of the Union address that these unmanned aircraft had been limited to ‘prudent use’.