Washington (March 08, 2018): Foreign Secretary Tehmina Janjua on Wednesday said that maintaining relations with Pakistan is as important for the United States as are Islamabad’s linkages with its Western ally.
Janjua, in an interview, stressed the importance of strategic and diplomatic relations between the two nations. She said that Pakistan is determined to eliminate terrorism from its soil.
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Tehmina Janjua said that Pakistan and US had been partner in war against Al-Qaeda and terrorism.
The US wishes to continue talks with Pakistan, said the Foreign Secretary, who is on a crucial visit to Washington as part of an attempt by both states to work together.
Earlier in the day, Alice Wells, the Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of State, had said: “I think we’re in the beginning of a process with the Pakistani Government.
“We have a series of high-level exchanges, Foreign Secretary Janjua will be here in Washington for meetings tomorrow. … There will be a very intensive dialogue through both our military and our civilian channels to discuss how we can work together.
“We’re certainly not walking away from Pakistan,” she had stressed.
Asked if Washington had noticed any improvements in Pakistan’s behaviour in terms of terrorism and militancy, Wells said the US had “not seen decisive and sustained changes yet”.
“But certainly, we are continuing to engage with Pakistan over areas where we think they can play a helpful role in changing the calculus of the Taliban,” she had said.
On Monday, the Pentagon had asserted that Islamabad has the “opportunity to do more.”
“Well, with respect to Pakistan, we believe that Pakistan can do more to combat terrorism,” Pentagon Chief Spokesperson Dana W. White had said.
Senior US Official Meets Janjua To Discuss Bilateral Relations
