Updated on
Summary Clinton raised the issues of IEDs, Haqqani network and Dr. Afridi in meeting with Zardari.
US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton met Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari on Monday.A number of key issues including Haqqani network, IEDs and Dr Afridi were discussed between the PAK-US leaders.We continue to talk about ways to further squeeze Haqqani network, but Pakistan did not mention timing of any action against them as such, informed a senior State Department official Monday. He was briefing the media in New York regarding the bilateral meeting between President Zardari and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, on the sidelines of UN General Assembly.He said that production of improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) in Pakistani tribal areas were raised by the US side and the first working group meeting after UN will also be on counter-terrorism. There are no high expectations, but we are being realistic and there is need to further the gains from the past, he opined.Success in reopening of ground supply routes has paved the way for re-energizing of dialogue between Pakistan and US, he said adding that the US was pleased with the response of Afghanistan and Pakistan about designation of Haqqani network as a foreign terrorist organization.President Zardari conveyed hurt sentiments of Muslims because of a sacrilegious movie. However, he clearly said that his government has no tolerance on violence and extremism caused by video protests.”ANP President,Asfandyar Wali, who was part of the meeting, had also disassociated from the statement of Ghulam Ahmad Bilour about $100 K bounty offer for maker of controversial movie, he said. Asfandyar Wali said that ANP will meet soon and decide about the fate of Ghulam Ahmad Bilour, he informed.They discussed religious freedom and we thanked Pakistan government for good security measures during these protests, he said adding that extremism was a threat to sovereignty of Pakistan as a country as well as the region. He, however, refused to answer whether drone attacks were raised in the meeting by either side.There have been 18 difficult months in the relationship, so we dont want to be over-optimistic. There is a need to work together on how we can pursue shared interests, he pointed out. We are working to continue positive trajectory, through all available channels and options available, he stated.Both leaders also discussed reconciliation efforts in Afghanistan and the need for all Afghans to join political process.Safe passage of Taliban from Pakistan to join political process was discussed in last trilateral core group meeting in Afghanistan, he said adding that Pakistan was supportive of all such efforts.Pakistani President, he said, had raised strengthening of economic cooperation and people-to-people relations whereas Secretary Clinton welcomed Pak-India trade initiative and restoration of relations. There was general discussion about election season in both countries as well, he said in response to another query.Later, a senior US administration official, in a separate briefing, said that the coalition partners of President Zardari, including Asfandyar Wali (ANP), Farooq Sattar (MQM) and Mustafa Nawaz Khokhar (PMl-Q), gave perspective on situation in the country to Secretary Clinton, which was very helpful. Later, both Zardari and Clinton had a one-to-one session, which lasted almost half an hour.We want relations based on capacity and desire to systematically identify joint interests and then work on them, he maintained adding that there was emphasis from the Pakistani side on trying to move on economic side and towards trade and market access instead of aid only. They discussed bilateral investment treaty between Pakistan and US and efforts for encouraging US companies to invest inside Pakistan, he observed. In all our interaction, we raise the issue of Dr. Shakeel Afridi and it was raised today as well, he acknowledged responding to a question.Afghans want support from Pakistan, US and other international community for peace process, he said adding that Pakistani Prime Minister, Raja Pervez Ashraf had already undertaken a visit to Afghanistan to show support for Afghan-led reconciliation. He disagreed that upcoming elections in Pakistan, Afghanistan and US would have any impact on these issues.Secretary Clinton, he said, had also met one-on-one with Afghan President, Hamid Karzai. Both leaders discussed transition of security to Afghan National Security Forces and drawdown of forces by 2014, the senior administration official informed adding that reconciliation talks as well as insider attacks on coalition forces by Afghan troops was also discussed.We briefed President Karzai about the last core group meeting on reconciliation. Karzai called for more investment by international partners in Afghanistan for economic sustainability, he maintained.- Contributed by Awais Saleem, Dunya News correspondent in New York
