ISLAMABAD – *The US Department of State’s Senior Bureau Official for theBureau of South and Central Asian Affairs Ambassador Alice Wells has saidthat United States is not “walking away from Pakistan”, Pakistan has taken“initial constructive steps” against terrorists operating on its soil, TheHindu reported.*

Wells also welcomed Pakistan Army Chief Genera Qamar Javed Bajwa’s commentson ending proxy terrorist groups.

“I was heartened by the press comments by General Bajwa where he saidthings like the ‘state must have the monopoly on violence’, and there is‘no role for non-state actors’…. Those are extremely positive statementsand now I think the challenge is to see them implemented. We are certainlyin a very good faith conversation with Pakistan,” Wells told The Hindu inan interview during her visit to Delhi.

Her comment comes after, Afghan President Ashraf Ghani and Pakistan’s PrimeMinister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi on Friday announced the Action Plan for Peaceand Solidarity (APAPPS) committing to closer engagement on fighting terror.

The Hindu reported that when asked Wells denied any US-hand in theAfghan-Pakistan talks, but her ongoing visit to the region, includingtravels to Tashkent, Islamabad, Delhi and Kabul, dealt with the US’s SouthAsia policy for Afghanistan.

“I would say, bear with us, this isn’t the end of our diplomatic game. Weare continuously engaging in Pakistan because we do see the need forchange,” she said when asked about further steps against Pakistan if itfails to act against terror groups.

Wells also touched on Afghanistan’s trade efforts and said “the fact thatthis region has no regional trade is noteworthy and until we resolve thatcore conflict and open up the east and west, the potential for South Asiais not going to be achieved. We are deeply appreciative of the Indianefforts to use Chabahar to provide alternatives to Afghanistan to open up achannel to Central Asia. And we need to be creative in the absence of peaceto ensure that Afghanistan can stabilize and grow”.

When asked if the US approved of the Chabahar route, in terms of it beingowned by Iran, Wells said: “The standard set for Chabahar is that the dealsshould not benefit IRGC (Iranian Revolutionary Guard) members, that’s forsanctions not to be imposed, and for business deals to go through.

“The legislation originally passed (JCPOA) has a specific carve-out forChabahar and that’s an acknowledgment of the necessary role of givingland-locked Afghanistan access and alternatives as it seeks to build itseconomy.

“We have seen with the shipments of wheat that India has really helped toopen up trade with Afghanistan including air corridors. It’s been strikingthat Afghanistan-Pakistan trade has declined 50 percent in the last year.India has provided options, and Afghanistan now needs the support of Indiaand Central Asia,” she said.