South Asia tensions: PM to go ‘extra mile’ for peace with India

Nawaz terms drone strikes ‘a major irritant’ in relations with US.

WASHINGTON:

A day before his much awaited meeting with US President Barack Obama, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif announced his government’s soft foreign policy stance vis-a-vis its eastern neighbour, India, promising that he would go the “extra mile” to make peace with India.

In the same vein, the premier described Pakistan’s relations with the United States ‘vital’, but called CIA’s drone campaign in tribal regions a ‘major irritant’ in the bilateral ties.

Relations between Pakistan and India have soured since the killing of five Indian troops in a deadly ambush in August that triggered skirmishes between their militaries along the Line of Control (LoC) in the disputed Himalayan state of Kashmir.



However, Premier Nawaz said the archrivals can resolve all issues, including Kashmir, through dialogue. “I wish to assure this august audience that Pakistan desires to live in peace with its neighbour,” he said at the US Institute of Peace, a think tank. “If we sit down together, if we seriously address these issues, I don’t think we will face any problem.”

“Kashmir, of course, is a very difficult issue and very difficult to resolve but I think, by sitting and talking, we will be able to find some way of resolving that, too,” he added. “Because that is a flashpoint not only in the region, but the whole world,” he said of Kashmir.

Potential of Pakistan-India friendship and cordial relations between the estranged neighbours has been a favourite topic during the premier’s meetings with US authorities in Washington.

“Had our countries not wasted their precious resources in a never-ending arms race, we would not only have avoided the futile conflicts, but also emerged as stable and prosperous nations,” he said.



Drones ‘detrimental’ to CT efforts

Prime Minister Nawaz said drone strikes were detrimental to Islamabad’s efforts at eliminating terrorism. “This issue has become a major irritant in our bilateral relationship – I would, therefore, stress the need for an end to drone attacks.”

But the premier positively added that contrary to perceptions, Pakistan-US relations had stood the test of time. Despite occasional hiccups, the solid foundation of this vital relationship has always weathered storms and turbulence, he added.

“As democracy takes root in Pakistan, there is scope for building a strong and stable partnership between the two countries. They should be based on mutual respect and mutual interests as clearly articulated by President Obama in his Cairo speech.”

Despite the planned US drawdown in Afghanistan, there would be a continuing need for close cooperation, he said.

The prime minister also renewed his call for greater trade access for Pakistan to the United States and invited American entrepreneurs to invest in Pakistan’s energy and other sectors.

The United States, meanwhile, reciprocated the call for warmer ties. The White House described Pakistan-US relationship as ‘enormously valuable’, saying that despite differences, Washington wants the ties to proceed on a positive trajectory. “The president looks forward to welcoming Prime Minister Sharif to the White House on Wednesday,” said Obama’s spokesman Jay Carney in a statement on Tuesday.

‘Incentives for Pak-American community soon’

Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif revealed that his government would shortly announce a package of incentives to facilitate expatriate Pakistanis’ investment in various sectors of the economy.

In an hour-long address to the Pakistani-American community, he advocated the case for more trade with the United States, instead of relying on aid. “The United States is Pakistan’s largest trading partner – we want greater trade and want to remove roadblocks in the way of trade expansion.”

His government would strive for the resolution of the energy crisis within its tenure and invited expatriate Pakistanis to invest in the area that promises attractive returns, he said.

To Pakistani-Americans, the prime minister assured of his support for an end to discriminatory treatment towards overseas Pakistani for holding dual nationalities.

Matters of defence

The US defence leadership, including Dr Ashton Carter, the deputy secretary of defence, and Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff General Martin Dempsey, called on the prime minister. Matters related to bilateral defence cooperation and regional security were discussed during the meeting, according to the Pakistan Embassy.

He informed the US defence leadership that Pakistan looked forward to an enduring and broad-based defence cooperation with the United States in the future.

Dr Ashton Carter expressed satisfaction that Ground Lines of Communication, GLOC, were facilitating movement of the US/ISAF retrograde and sustenance cargo through Pakistan.

The two sides noted that substantial progress had been achieved in the areas of counter-IEDs, counter-terrorism and border coordination mechanism with Afghanistan and ISAF.


Published in The Express Tribune, October 23^rd, 2013.