US-Pak talks fail to break the stalemate

In quite an optimistic move, Pakistan and the United States after a five-month suspension resumed formal bilateral talks on Thursday.

However, the two states could not make any development in ending the impasse over the restoration of blocked NATO supply-line owing to American’s refusal to offer unconditional public apology over the November strikes by its jet fighters on Pakistan border check-posts, killing 24 Pakistani troops.

In a bid to mend the fractured ties, Marc Grossman, the US Special Envoy for Pakistan and Afghanistan, landed in Islamabad on Wednesday. He held formal talks with Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar, who was assisted by Foreign Secretary Jalil Abbas Jilani and other senior officials.

Prior to the formal dialogue, Marc Grossman also had a vital meeting with Chief of the Army Staff (COAS) General Ashfaq Kayani, asking him for an early resumption of NATO supply-route.

Pakistan blocked supply to allied forces battling in Afghanistan in the wake of the NATO airstrikes.

However, the Pakistani leadership refused to accept the US demand for resuming NATO supplies before a public apology over the matter.

Apart from expressing regret and sorrow over the airstrike, US Special Envoy Grossman while addressing a joint news conference with Foreign Secretary Jalil Abbas Jilani avoided offering a public apology.

He observed, “Efforts will be made that such incidents do not happen in future as both Pakistan and the United States are partners in the war against terror and they have common enemy and need common strategy to fight this menace”.

Grossman further asserted that Washington respects the sovereignty of Pakistan and is willing to improve its relations in all fields, saying the meeting with Foreign Minister Khar and other Pakistani leadership showed the American intention to improve Pakistan-US ties.

The US respects the Pakistani parliamentary review on new contours of relations and the seriousness with which it was carried out, he added.

He noted that after the completion of the parliamentary review, the task was how to go ahead on improving the most important relationship between the two states.

The American reprehensive said Washington was ready for talks on re-opening the supply lines and clearing outstanding payments to Pakistan to meet the expenses of military operations in its Tribal Areas to fight the Taliban and al Qaeda militants.

Short URL: https://www.newspakistan.pk/?p=20428

Posted by Faisal Farooq on Apr 27 2012. Filed under Latest News, National, Pakistan. 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.