Pakistan US alliance in the region is important for both countries: Foreign Secretarty
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WASHINGTON : Pakistan’s Foreign Secretary Tahmina Janjua has emphasized the importance of structural dialogue between Pakistan and USA to continue efforts against terrorism.
Talking to journalists at the Pakistani embassy in Washington, Tahmina Janjua termed Pak-US alliance against Al-Qaeda and other terrorist groups as successful.
The Foreign Secretary said maintaining relations with Pakistan is as important for the United States as are Islamabad’s linkages with its Western ally.
Highlighting Pakistan’s efforts against terrorism and extremism, she stressed on regional cooperation and integration as a bulwark against terrorist elements. She said that CPEC is a part of the grand One Belt, One Road project that aims to knit the region in a cohesive unit in order to do away with mutual differences.
The US wishes to continue talks with Pakistan, said the Foreign Secretary, who is on a crucial visit to Washington as part of an attempt by both states to work together.
Earlier in the day, Alice Wells, the Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of State, had said: “I think we’re in the beginning of a process with the Pakistani Government.
“We have a series of high-level exchanges, Foreign Secretary Janjua will be here in Washington for meetings tomorrow. … There will be a very intensive dialogue through both our military and our civilian channels to discuss how we can work together.
“We’re certainly not walking away from Pakistan,” she had stressed.
Asked if Washington had noticed any improvements in Pakistan’s behaviour in terms of terrorism and militancy, Wells said the US had “not seen decisive and sustained changes yet”.
“But certainly, we are continuing to engage with Pakistan over areas where we think they can play a helpful role in changing the calculus of the Taliban,” she had said.
