US praises Pakistan Foreign Minister Khar’s visit to Afghanistan

US praises Pakistan Foreign Minister Khar’s visit to Afghanistan

Welcoming Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar’s visit to Afghanistan, the State Department said the United States supports efforts towards improved ties between the two South Asian countries in wide-ranging areas.

“It seems to have been a good and well-timed visit,” State Department spokesperson Victoria Nuland said at the daily briefing, adding that Washington awaits debriefing from officials of both countries on the visit to Kabul by Pakistani foreign minister this
week.

The United States, she said, has “always supported good neighbourly relations, dialogue and collaboration” between Pakistan and Afghanistan on advancing their security, political and economic relations.”There have been very positive statements from the visit
about Pakistan’s support (on) Afghan-owned process of reconciliation. That is something that the Afghans have wanted to hear and we think will be helpful to the process,” the spokesperson noted.

Responding to a question about statements that Pakistan would be willing to help bring Afghan groups including the Haqqanis to the negotiating table as part of  efforts to help Afghanistan as Kabul wants, the spokesperson replied. “As you know, when the
Secretary (Clinton) was in Pakistan and with the interagency delegation, one of our main asks at that time was that we do more with regard to the Haqqani Network. So positive statements of commitment in that regard, whether they’re made to us, whether they’re
made to Afghanistan, that’s a good thing.”

Answering a question in the context of US Defence Secretary Leon Panetta’s stated goal to end American combat operations in Afghanistan by next year, the spokesperson reiterated Washington’s commitment to long-term engagement with Afghanistan and the region.

She added the US remains committed to NATO deadline of 2014 goal of completely transferring security responsibilities to the Afghans and that any progress on transition depends on the ground realities.

Short URL: https://www.newspakistan.pk/?p=11789

Posted by Ammar Ahmad on Feb 5 2012. 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