WASHINGTON – US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Tuesday said he washoping to “reset the relationship” with Pakistan ahead of a trip toIslamabad to meet with new Prime Minister Imran Khan.-
Speaking on a plane ahead of a trip to South Asia, Pompeo also announcedthat Zalmay Khalilzad, a high profile former US ambassador, had been namedto a new role to lead peace efforts in Afghanistan.
Pompeo’s conciliatory remarks toward the South Asian giant come days afterWashington confirmed plans to cancel $300 million in military aid overIslamabad’s lack of “decisive actions” in support of American strategy inthe region.
But the former CIA director, who is making his first visit as his nation’stop diplomat to the wayward ally whose support is vital in the long-runningAfghan conflict, said it was time to “turn the page.”
“So first stop — Pakistan. New leader there, wanted to get out there at thebeginning of his time in an effort to reset the relationship between thetwo countries,” he said.
“There are lot of challenges between our two nations for sure but we’rehopeful that with the new leadership that we can find common ground and wecan begin to work on some of our shared problems together,” added Pompeo,who will be joined by General Joe Dunford, chairman of the Joint Chiefs ofStaff.