Washington seeks enduring ties with Islamabad

After parliament backed new guidelines prepared by the Parliamentary Committee on National Security (PCNS) to revise foreign policy, the United States said it seeks enduring and well-defined relations with Islamabad.

Victoria Nuland, the US State Department spokeswoman, while reacting over the decision of the Pakistani parliament said that the US had been reviewing the 14-point framework for revised terms of engagement with America and NATO forces.

She said that they respect the seriousness with which parliament’s review of US-Pakistan ties has been done.

She observed, “We seek a relationship with Pakistan that is enduring, strategic, and more clearly defined. We look forward to discussing these policy recommendations with the government of Pakistan and continuing to engage with it on our shared interests”.

According to the recommendations suggested by the PCNS, it demanded a call for a halt to spy attacks inside the Pakistani territory and an unconditional apology for US air strikes in November that killed 24 Pakistani troops in Salala Check-posts.

The US officials were keen for Pakistan to commit to resuming NATO supply routes blocked in the wake of the cross-border incursion before a summit in Chicago next month.

However, the joint-sitting kept mum over the resumption of NATO convoys, saying Pakistani territory must not be used for transporting arms and ammunition to Afghanistan, which was demanded by several political parties.

After long hours of debate and meetings on Thursday, the joint-sitting of the National Assembly and Senate passed the recommendations of the bi-partisan committee. The proposal was presented by PCNS Chairman Senator Raza Rabbani before the joint-session.

Pakistan sought fresh terms of re-engagement with the United States with special focus on resumption of NATO supply-line in the revised recommendations.

According to new recommendations no bases would be given to foreign forces in the country while shipping of arms and ammunition for NATO forces would not be allowed through Pakistan.

The approved recommendations also assured that no one would be permitted to violate Pakistani territory, claiming that the drone attacks would also be halted.

Foreign intelligence operatives, according to recommendations, would not be allowed to operate in the country and all the written agreements inked with other countries would be presented in the parliament within three days.

Short URL: https://www.newspakistan.pk/?p=18898

Posted by Faisal Farooq on Apr 13 2012. Filed under Latest News, National, Pakistan, USA. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.