Washington: Pakistan is going into a strategic dialogue with the US with a long wish list, including an India-type civil nuclear deal, Kashmir issue and a direct Washington role in reviving the peace process with New Delhi. But the US is non-committal.
Just before the start of dialogue, Pakistan Foreign Minister Sah Mahmood Qureshi has said that, “Pakistan is committed to its strategic interests in south Asia including Kashmir and we hope that US will understand our concerns.”
Though the State Department declined to acknowledge that Pakistan had made the demands in a 56-page document sent to the US ahead of Wednesday`s talks, the Wall Street Journal citing unnamed American officials suggested it was an implicit offer to crack down in return on the Afghan Taliban.
"As far as I know, we have not been talking to Pakistan about a civilian nuclear deal. If Pakistan brings it up during the course of the meetings in the next two days, we`ll be happy to listen," spokesman Philip J. Crowley told reporters Tuesday.
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, who will be co-chairing the dialogue with Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi, too told the Pakistani media that Islamabad may raise the nuclear deal issue, but she would not "prejudge or preempt" the outcome.
"I`m sure that that`s going to be raised and we`re going to be considering it, but I can`t prejudge or pre-empt what the outcome of our discussions will be, except to say that this Strategic Dialogue is at the highest level we`ve ever had between our two countries," she said in an interview with Pakistan`s Express TV Group.
She also seemed to rule out a direct US role in Pakistan`s water dispute with India or other problems with its South Asian neighbour.
"Well, usually, where there is an agreement, as there is between India and Pakistan on water, with mediation techniques, arbitration built in, it would seem sensible to look to what already exists to try to resolve any of the bilateral problems between India and Pakistan," Clinton told Dunya TV.
"But in the course of the strategic dialogue, what we want to do is focus on the problem. If the problem is water or agriculture or energy, without looking externally, as we do in our other strategic dialogues.
"And our strategic dialogue with Pakistan... is what we want to build and really put on a strong footing for the future," she said.
However, the primary focus of the talks is expected to be security issues and the fight against the Taliban in Afghanistan with Defence Secretary Robert M. Gates, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Adm Mike Mullen, Pakistani army chief Gen Ashfaq Pervez Kayani and Lt Gen Shuja Pasha, head of Pakistan`s spy agency joining the talks.
Qureshi, who was on Capitol Hill Tuesday, meeting with members of Congress in advance of Wednesday`s talks, indicated as much. He expected the day-long series of meetings to result in a fundamental change in the US-Pakistani relationship, and that could include a further expansion of military relations.
Pakistan`s civilian government and the military had a "very clear plan" for what needed to be done, said Qureshi. "We articulated that collectively ... what the Pakistani priorities are."
But the Pentagon played down the chance of any big announcement of fresh aid at the end of the talks, saying the dialogue would focus on the bolstering long-term bilateral ties.
"I would not look to this, at the end of it, for there to be some great announcement about any hard items that are being produced as a result of the conversations," Pentagon Press Secretary Geoff Morrell told reporters. "This is a dialogue designed to produce a better long-term strategic relationship ... this is not simply about asking and receiving items."
Qureshi submits new weapon wish list toUS
As the US and Pakistan open
their strategic dialogue to strengthen rocky ties, Foreign
Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi has submitted a new weapon wish
list to America looking for big ticket systems.
The 56-page wish list submitted to the Obama
Administration by Pakistan in fact mostly seeks those
equipments that can bring the country on par with the military
might of India.
Post 9/11, Pakistan has received more than USD 7
billion worth of arms sale from the US, authoritative sources
said.
In fact, major US arms sales and grants to Pakistan
since 2001 have included items useful for counter terrorism
and counterinsurgency operations, along with a number of "big
ticket" platforms more suited to conventional warfare; which
is primarily targeted against India.
According to Pentagon reports, total Foreign Military
Sales agreements with Pakistan worth about USD 5 billion for
FY2002-FY2009 (in-process sales of F-16 combat aircraft and
related equipment account for about three-quarters of this).
The US also has provided Pakistan with more than USD
2.1 billion in Foreign Military Financing (FMF) since 2001
(including scheduled FY2010 funds). These funds are used to
purchase US military equipment for longer-term modernisation
efforts.
Pakistan has also been granted US defence supplies as
Excess Defence Articles (EDA), the sources said.
Some of the major post-2001 defence supplies provided,
or soon to be provided, under FMF include eight P-3C Orion
maritime patrol aircraft and their refurbishment (valued at
USD 474 million); about five 250 TOW anti-armor missiles (USD
186 million; 2,007 delivered); more than 5,600 military radio
sets (USD 163 million); six AN/TPS-77 surveillance radars (USD
100 million); six C-130E transport aircraft and their
refurbishment (USD 76 million); five refurbished SH-2I Super
Seasprite maritime helicopters granted under EDA (USD 67
million); one ex-Oliver Hazard Perry class missile frigate via
EDA (USD 65 million); 20 AH-1F Cobra attack helicopters via
EDA (USD 48 million, 12 refurbished and delivered); and 121
refurbished TOW missile launchers (USD 25 million).
Supplies paid for with a mix of Pakistani national
funds and FMF include: up to 60 Mid-Life Update kits for
F-16A/B combat aircraft (valued at USD 891 million, with USD
477 million of this in FMF, Pakistan currently plans to
purchase 35 such kits); and 115 M-109 self-propelled howitzers
(USD 87 million, with USD 53 million in FMF).
Notable items paid or to be paid for entirely with
Pakistani national funds include: 18 new F-16C/D Block 50/52
combat aircraft (valued at USD 1.43 billion; none delivered to
date); F-16 armaments including 500 AMRAAM air-to-air
missiles; 1,450 2,000-pound bombs; 500 JDAM Tail Kits for
gravity bombs; and 1,600 Enhanced Paveway laser-guided kits,
also for gravity bombs (USD 629 million); 100 Harpoon
anti-ship missiles (USD 298 million); 500 Sidewinder
air-to-air missiles (USD 95 million); and six Phalanx Close-In
Weapons System naval guns (USD 80 million).
While the Pentagon notified Congress on the possible
transfer to Pakistan of three P-3B aircraft as EDA grants that
would be modified to carry the E-2C Hawkeye airborne early
warning suite in a deal worth up to USD 855 million, this
effort has not progressed beyond the notification stage; the
sources said.
Other major EDA grants since 2001 include 14 F-16A/B
combat aircraft and 39 T-37 military trainer jets.
Under Coalition Support Funds (part of the Pentagon
budget), Pakistan has received 26 Bell 412 utility
helicopters, along with related parts and maintenance, valued
at USD 235 million.
Besides, Pakistan has received helicopter spare parts,
various night vision devices, radios, body armor, helmets,
first aid kits, litters, and large quantities of other
individual soldier equipment; according to the Department of
Defence.
With IANS & PTI Inputs
