Future drone attack could impact Pak-US relations, warns Sartaj Aziz
By.Asghar Ali Mubarak
Islamabad –The Adviser to the Prime Minister on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz conveyed a strong message to the United States that the 21 May drone strike was not only a violation of Pakistan’s sovereignty and breach of the principles of the United Nation’s Charter, but has also vitiated bilateral ties.”It was emphasized that any future drone strike in Pakistan will be detrimental to our common desire to strengthen relations,” the Foreign Office stated in a press release. Sartaj Aziz further expressed his concern that the drone strike had seriously undermined the ongoing efforts for Afghan peace and reconciliation process at a time when Pakistan, along with other Quadrilateral Coordination Group (QCG) countries, was engaged in serious efforts to revive peace talks between Afghan Government and the Taliban. Amid growing mistrust between the United States and Pakistan following last month‘s drone attack in Baluchistan, Richard Olson, US Special Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan and Dr. Peter Lavoy, Senior Adviser and Director for South Asian Affairs at the National Security Council called on Adviser to the Prime Minister on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz and Foreign Secretary Aizaz Ahmed Chaudhry in Islamabad. They held candid discussions on bilateral relations, regional security situation and the Afghan peace process in the wake of 21 May drone strike in Baluchistan. The Foreign Secretary recalled that in QCG’s fifth meeting on 18 May 2016, it was decided that peace negotiations remained the only option for a political settlement. He emphasized that this would require collective efforts on the part of all QCG members to promote lasting peace in Afghanistan. In response to US queries on safe havens for Taliban, it was emphasized that Pakistan is already pursuing its objective of eliminating all militants and terrorists from its soil in accordance with the National Action Plan. At the same time, Pakistan would have to safeguard its own security through better border management and early repatriation of Afghan refugees. Pakistan also expects action by Afghan forces against TTP operatives in Afghanistan. These steps would also help to promote better relations between Afghanistan and Pakistan and reduce mistrust. Peter Lavoy, while conveying President Obama’s good wishes for the Prime Minister’s speedy recovery, said that President Obama was committed to improving relations with Pakistan as emphasized during Prime Minister’s visit to Washington in October 2015.Mean while the adviser to the Prime Minister on foreign affairs Sartaj Aziz, said: “The US approaches Pakistan whenever it needs it and abandons it when it does not need Islamabad.”Pakistan will convey its concerns to US over the latest issues in the bilateral ties,” Aziz said, adding that a high-level meeting was planned between Pakistan and US officials on June 10 in Islamabad.”We firmly conveyed to the US that maintaining effective nuclear deterrence is critical for Pakistan’s security and only Islamabad can determine how it should respond to growing strategic imbalance in South Asia.”Aziz maintained that Islamabad was ready for cordial relations with other countries including India. Aziz’s statement comes as Islamabad stepped up its diplomatic outreach among members of the Nuclear Suppliers Group in a bid to stall New Delhi’s chances of gaining membership to the NSG.
The Pakistan foreign ministry’s UN desk on Wednesday held a briefing in Islamabad for diplomatic missions of NSG member-countries to put forward its argument against India’s membership and to push for its own entry to the elite group. The Adviser to the Prime Minister on Foreign Affairs, Mr. Sartaj Aziz spoke over telephone with Mexican Foreign Minister Claudia Ruiz Massieu, as part of Pakistan’s continuing diplomatic efforts towards mobilizing support for Pakistan’s application for the membership of Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG).He highlighted Pakistan’s credentials for the NSG membership with a view to seek Mexico’s support. The Mexican Foreign Minister expressed support for a non-discriminatory approach on NSG expansion to non-NPT states.
