WASHINGTON: The White Home has mentioned that the USA nonetheless believes the inception of a brand new authorities in Pakistan gives a chance to “flip a web page and transfer ahead” — in direction of rebuilding a powerful relationship between the 2 nations.
On Oct 2, International Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi visited Washington on Secretary of State Mike Pompeo’s invitation. He held separate conferences with Mr Pompeo and White Home Nationwide Safety Adviser John Bolton earlier than flying again to Islamabad.
Mr Bolton — whereas briefing the media on the brand new Nationwide Technique for Counterterrorism on Thursday afternoon — described the talks as productive however gave few particulars of the discussions that Secretary Pompeo and he had of their conferences with Mr Qureshi.
Negotiations held with FM Qureshi described as productive
When requested in the event that they talked concerning the suspension of US safety support to Pakistan and the progress made by Islamabad within the combat in opposition to terrorism, Mr Bolton mentioned: “I mentioned that with International Minister Qureshi. We had a really productive assembly. He had a really productive assembly, I hear, from Mike Pompeo, as effectively, later within the day”.
He mentioned: “We definitely talked concerning the suspension of safety help and the significance that we positioned on Pakistan renewing an efficient marketing campaign in opposition to the terrorists”.
The talks, he mentioned, lined a variety of different points, as effectively. “However I feel one of many issues we needed to emphasize, following up on Mike Pompeo’s go to to Pakistan just some weeks in the past, was that we hope with a brand new authorities there, that we’d be capable to flip a web page and transfer ahead.”
Mr Bolton mentioned that Secretary Pompeo and he had two “essential opening conferences” with the Pakistan overseas minister in Washington.
“I feel he believed they had been profitable, and so we’re going to proceed the dialogue and see what conclusion we’d be capable to attain,” he mentioned.
Requested about Mr Qureshi’s handshake with US President Donald Trump in New York final week, which some Pakistani media retailers described as a gathering, Mr Bolton mentioned: “I wasn’t on the luncheon, so I don’t know, but when the overseas minister had come as much as introduce himself and shake his hand, I’m certain the president would have shaken his hand”.
Responding to a different query, Mr Bolton mentioned that Secretary Pompeo and he did focus on the discharge of Dr Shakil Afridi — who facilitated the US raid on Osama bin Laden’s hideout in Abbottabad — with Mr Qureshi.
“By way of Afridi, sure, he was the topic of dialogue between Secretary Pompeo and myself, we fairly effectively lined the waterfront of points, and we’re glad to do it,” he mentioned.
Mr Qureshi additionally addressed this situation at a information convention on Wednesday however rejected the suggestion that he had provided to launch Dr Afridi in an interview with Fox Information.
“I mentioned you have a look at Dr Afridi in a sure method. Our individuals have a look at Dr Afia Siddiqui in a sure method. You might have expectations. They’ve expectations too. In addition they need Dr Siddiqui’s launched.”
The overseas minister mentioned that Pakistan had adopted a authorized course of in coping with Dr Shakil Afridi and “as we respect your authorized system, we anticipate you to point out the identical respect to our system”.
Revealed in Daybreak, October sixth, 2018