Pakistan has submitted a wish list to Washington ahead of high-level talks this week, asking for pilotless drones and helicopters as well as economic and other aid, said US and Pakistani officials on Tuesday. The 56-page document, set to be discussed in talks in Washington on Wednesday and Thursday, covers a range of demands including a request for more help on water and energy as Pakistan struggles with daily power cuts across the country.
-- 56-page document submitted
-- Drones, military sales, trade incentives on the list
-- India's growing role in Afghanistan likely to figure in talks
Speaking after talks with US lawmakers on Capitol Hill, Pakistan's Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi said his country's civilian government and the military had a "very clear plan" for what needed to be done. "We articulated that collectively, you know, what the Pakistani priorities are," said Qureshi, who met Senator John Kerry, one of the authors of landmark legislation last year for a five-year, $7.5 billion aid package for Pakistan.
The Pentagon played down the chance of any big announcement of fresh aid at the end of the talks this week, saying the dialogue focused 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," Geoff Morrell, Pentagon press secretary, told reporters.
"This is a dialogue designed to produce a better long-term strategic relationship between our two countries. This is not simply about asking and receiving items." US officials said the Pentagon was reviewing the 56-page document outlining Islamabad's needs, which include items long publicly sought by Pakistan.
INDIA Pakistan is also interested in a civilian nuclear arrangement with Washington, much like India has, a request that has consistently been refused because of a fear of angering New Delhi, an arch-rival of Islamabad. A US official also pointed out that discussions on a nuclear deal would also require consensus approval from the 46-nation Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) as well as US congressional approval, which had been a lengthy process with the Indians.
Another area Pakistan wants to cover in the talks this week is India's growing role in Afghanistan. Pakistan's ambassador to the United States, Husain Haqqani, said Islamabad wanted to be certain that its own security concerns were addressed in the region. A US defence official said the comprehensive document was seen as a concrete sign of progress in bridging once gaping mistrust between Washington and Pakistan, a key ally in the US fight to topple al Qaeda and to stabilise neighbouring Afghanistan.
It was also an indication that Islamabad, whose delegation this week includes Army General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani, was taking this week's talks in Washington seriously. Washington has ramped up its military aid for Pakistan, and the Pentagon announced in January plans to supply 12 unarmed "Shadow" drones to boost Pakistan's surveillance operations.
The latest request is believed to repeat Pakistani pleas for "shoot-and-kill" drones being used by the United States to target militants, closely-held technology that Washington is reluctant to share. Earlier this year, Washington also approved the delivery of 18 F-16 fighter jets and a thousand laser-guided bomb kits, a US defence official said. Qureshi and US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton jointly chair a day of meetings on Wednesday which will include security issues, water, electricity, communications strategy, agriculture and other economic priorities.
Qureshi said the goal was to have a "partnership" with the United States. "The dialogue that I am going to lead tomorrow is very important to bring about a qualitative difference in our relationship." US and Pakistani officials said there would likely be greater details given of security help for Pakistan, with timetables on when funds and equipment would be delivered, as well as specifics on water, agriculture and energy projects.
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