The United States and Pakistan were working to smooth over curbs on diplomats' travels in the country on Tuesday, officials from both sides said, as US, Pakistani and Afghan officials met to co-ordinate efforts to end violence in Afghanistan.
The latest spat that involves Pakistan's recent restrictions on the movements of US diplomats inside the country could strain already prickly ties, vital to Washington's efforts to defeat al Qaeda and stabilise Afghanistan. The Pakistani foreign ministry says the measure is for their safety but a senior US official said it smacked of "harassment."
US embassy spokesman Alberto Rodriguez tried to play down the dispute, saying much of the ire over diplomats' travel was a "misunderstanding" blown up by the raucous Pakistani media. "We're working with the Pakistan government to resolve the issue," he said.
A Pakistani foreign ministry official also confirmed that efforts were underway to "address" the matter. Foreign ministry officials say the restrictions - requiring diplomats get "No Objections Certificates", or NoCs, from authorities before leaving Islamabad - are neither new nor specific to US officials. Rather, they were meant to ensure the security of diplomats in a country where militants have unleashed a campaign of bomb and suicide attacks.
The United States, however, says the Vienna Convention allows freedom of movement for diplomats, especially when travelling to its consulates in Lahore, Karachi and Peshawar. NoCs have always been required for certain areas of the country, and the United States acknowledges that, a US source familiar with the talks between the two countries said.
What is new is a requirement for diplomats to apply for a NoC to leave the capital, especially to travel to consulates, the source said, adding: "We're getting to an agreement that gives us what we want, and something everyone can live with."
Comments
Comments are closed for this article.