President Zardari wants Pakistan-USA to enhance talks

President of Pakistan, Asif Ali Zardari has shed light on the importance of enhanced consultation between Pakistan and USA, the two close allies in the ongoing war on terrorism.

Zardari, however, elucidated that the talks must be held on the basis of common interests, mutual respect and sovereignty.

He was talking to US delegation, headed by the Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, at Aiwan-e-Sadar, Islamabad.

Hillary reached Pakistan yesterday after paying a short visit to Afghanistan in a bid to defuse existing tension between the two countries, started off a few weeks ago when the senior American officials blamed Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence agency for having ties with Haqqani network.

During one-on-on and delegation-level dialogues in Islamabad, the two sides discussed prevailing issues between the two countries, regional situation, battle against militancy and the state of affairs in Afghanistan.

President of Pakistan made it clear that considering huge sacrifices rendered by Pakistan, it is unfair to criticise our role in the struggle against terrorism.

“Our people and the leadership is among the first ones to fully realize and comprehend the threat posed by violent mindset which is bred on the premises of deprivation and fuelled by sense of inequality,” said Zardari who is also the Co-Chairman of Pakistan Peoples Party.

He added that nobody can point figure at the position of Pakistan, a country where more than 30,000 innocent civilians along with 5,000 police and military officers laid their lives for the peace.

He, meanwhile, maintained that Pakistan is the biggest supporter of regional peace and his government will continue its efforts for the stability and prosperity in the region particularly in Afghanistan.

On the other hand, Hillary conceded the reality that Pakistan’s sacrifices in the war against militancy cannot be overlooked, adding that the US administration will keep on appreciating Pakistan’s huge contributions in promoting harmony in the region.

She termed Pakistan as a very close ally and expressed USA’s desire to continue working relationship with the country. Hillary also endorsed Zardari’s statement that both sides must eliminate communication gap and promote trade-based relationship.

Earlier during her visit, Hillary met Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani and army chief, General Ashfaq Kayani, and discussed different ways to develop collaboration between the two sides.

Short URL: https://www.newspakistan.pk/?p=1175

Posted by Rana Nasir Ghafoor on Oct 21 2011. Filed under Latest News, Pakistan. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry