WASHINGTON: The Trump administration’s nominated ambassador to Islamabadhas offered to facilitate dialogue between the two countries to bring downtensions in the region.
Addressing the Senate confirmation hearing on Tuesday, William Todd saidthat the US can have a strong relationship with both India and Pakistan.”Our hope is that both countries will take the necessary steps to reducetensions, and as President Trump has offered, we are prepared to facilitatedialogue if both sides request it,” he said, adding that to truly reduceregional tensions, and rebuild a strong relationship with the UnitedStates, Pakistan must take sustained and irreversible action againstterrorism.
Todd acknowledged that Pakistan has suffered terribly itself at the handsof terrorists and has committed publicly to ensure terrorists cannot useits territory to operate. “Pakistan has taken important steps towardfulfilling that commitment but needs to continue that work,” he said.
Vowing to work with Pakistan to advance shared interest in eliminatingterrorism from its territory and advancing security in the region, he saidthat he would actively engage Pakistan on such issues, as well as,”strategic stability and non-proliferation, carrying a clear message on thethreat that nuclear weapons pose to the United States, the region, and ourallies and partners.
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Pakistan needs to demonstrate it is prepared to live up to internationalcommitments on weapons of mass destruction.”
