Diplomacy

US tells Pakistan it wants to ‘forge a new relationship’ based on mutual interests

Photo Credit: US embassy

The United States on Tuesday said that it wants to forge a “new relationship” with the country based on mutual interests.

Visiting US acting assistant secretary of state Alice Wells raised the issue of cracking down on terrorists with foreign secretary Tehmina Janjua and other Pakistani interlocutors, according to a statement from the US embassy.

“Ambassador Wells urged the government of Pakistan to address the continuing presence of the Haqqani Network and other terrorist groups within its territory”, the statement said.

Wells is the first top American official to travel to Islamabad since the US suspended security-related aid worth nearly $2 billion over Pakistan’s counter-terrorism efforts. The development gives a life to the relationship between the two countries that had hit rock bottom, amid growing mistrust over the allegations of support of terror groups by Pakistan’s powerful military establishment.

During her meetings with Pakistani officials, Wells “underlined that the US seeks to move toward a new relationship with Pakistan, based on our mutual interest in realising a stable and prosperous region”, the statement said.

 

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