*WASHINGTON: *United States (US) Defence Secretary Jim Mattis has saidthere have been changes in Pakistan’s behaviour with respect to the fightagainst terrorism as there are certain operations by the Pakistan militarythat are helping the US’ ongoing efforts against terrorism and have beenfor some time.
“There have been changes in Pakistan’s behaviour (since the South Asiastrategy was announced),” Mattis told reporters travelling with him toAfghanistan, according to *agencies*link>.“There are other issues; the fatwa (against suicide bombings) that cameout, that came out of Pakistan, for example. That was a step in the rightdirection,” he said.
In January, the Pakistan government issued a fatwa signed by more than 1800Islamic scholars from different schools of thought against the use ofviolence, including suicide bombings, for religious purposes.
Mattis said that despite the apparent changes in Pakistan, he’d still liketo talk to people dealing with the border issues and intelligence and theirimpression of the situation. “One of the reasons I want to go in isactually talk to the people who are dealing with the border issues rightnow, dealing with intelligence and what they’re seeing. And then go backand talk with our intelligence agencies in Washington, DC, and put togetheran assessment of this,” Mattis said.
“There is a number of things that have been going on, but I want to talk topeople here and see the reality and how they see it and go back and talk tointelligence agencies and get a full assessment of where we’re at,” he said.
Responding to a question on Taliban, Mattis said the US has to set theconditions where the Taliban realise they cannot win with bombs. “At thatpoint, setting the conditions for the diplomats to sit down, and theleadership to sit down and try to get this out of the violence and into thediplomatic stance,” he said.
Mattis, however, said that while the US tries to bring the Taliban to thenegotiation table with the Afghan government, it will still ramp up themilitary pressure on it. “..you need to have that door open, even as youincrease the military pressure and say this is not going to work. You know,to just be setting off bombs,” he said.
The defence secretary said that the US needs to lead and provide thesubstance for the reconciliation effort. “..it may not be that the wholeTaliban comes over in one fell swoop. That would be a bridge too far rightnow to expect. But there are elements of the Taliban clearly interested intalking to the Afghan government,” Mattis said.
In Kabul, Mattis met with President Ashraf Ghani and Chief ExecutiveOfficer Abdullah Abdullah, during which they discussed the South Asiastrategy and the US’ commitment to Afghanistan. Pentagon’s ChiefSpokesperson Dana White said that Mattis praised Ghani’s recent offer tonegotiate with the Taliban without preconditions.
“He noted Ghani’s diplomatic approach achieved a level of internationalsupport not possible with military action alone. Secretary Mattis offeredhis full support to the Afghan-led reconciliation process, aimed atachieving lasting peace in Afghanistan,” White said.
At the 2nd Kabul Process Conference on 28 February, Afghanistan PresidentAshraf Ghani called on the Taliban to participate in peace talks to “savethe country” while offering security and incentives like passports toinsurgents who take part in the negotiations.
During the meeting, Mattis emphasised that the peace offer does noteliminate the need for offensive operations against the Taliban, and notedthe importance of continued Afghan National Defence and Security Forcesprogress on the battlefield.
“The two Afghan leaders also reinforced that the recent Taliban peace offerwithout preconditions was genuine, and they are ready to embrace all whoare willing to reconcile,” White said. – Agencies