FM Khar discusses 'all facets' of Pak-US relations with Clinton

NEW YORK: Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar and US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton on Sunday had extensive discussions on "all facets" of US-Pakistan relations that the top Pakistani diplomat described as "very constructive."

"It went very well," Khar said after the three-and-half hour meeting.

The two top diplomats are in New York for the 66th session of the UN General Assembly.The foreign minister, in a brief interaction with reporters, also stressed the importance of "deeper understanding" when her attention was drawn to points of differences between the two sides.

She recalled that in a meeting with Secretary Clinton both had agreed Indonesia in July to have a deep engagement in New York on the entire spectrum of the relations between the two countries and other issues of common interest. "There is complete convergence of interests" in counterterrorism goals, Khar said.

Asked about statements by US officials that Pakistan has links to the Haqqani network blamed for this week's attack on the US Embassy and NATO command center in Kabul, the foreign minister said there was need to understand each other's perspectives. Elaborating her remarks, a senior Pakistani official said Pakistan's position was made clear when the issue was raised at the meeting.

It was pointed out that Pakistan had condemned the attack and voiced its opposition to violence of any kind and that Pakistan itself was being subjected to terrorist attacks.

Meanwhile, US officials said Clinton told her Pakistani counterpart that the Taliban-affiliated militants, particularly the Haqqani group, must be dealt with.

The Pakistani side also raised the issue of greater trade access and reconstruction opportunity zones programme. "The meeting also discussed reconciliation, regional peace including Istanbul and Bonn and the role the US and Pakistan wish to play and economic issues."

The senior Pakistani official said that Pakistan supported the reconciliation process in Afghanistan and desired that Islamabad, Kabul and Washington to be on the same page to move it forward.

He said Pakistan and the United States broadly share regional objectives for stability, peace and counterterrorism. "We continue to consult each other. Obviously, we do not necessarily agree on everything."

Foreign Secretary Salman Bashir, Pakistan's ambassador to the United States Husain Haqqani, Additional Secretary Alamgir Babar assisted the foreign minister while on the US side special envoy for Pakistan and Afghanistan Marc Grossman and US ambassador to Pakistan Cameron Munter aided Hillary Clinton.

Copyright APP (Associated Press of Pakistan), 2011