A major breakthrough in Pak-US estranged relations is in the offing, as Pakistan is all set to reopen the ground lines of communications (GLOCs) to the US-led Nato forces in Afghanistan after seven-month long blockade, official sources said.
Sources both in the Foreign Office and security establishment confided to Business Recorder that most of the key issues had almost been resolved and an announcement in this regard would be made by the political leadership within days. "At this stage, I can confirm that significant progress has been made and both the sides, you can say, are beneficiaries as concerns of both the countries have been addressed to a great extent and both the sides have been able to 'give and take' during the talks," an official of security establishment told this scribe.
Following the killings of 24 Pakistani soldiers in the November 26 Nato air-strike on Salala border post in Mohmand Agency, Pakistan blocked the key supply route to the US-led Nato forces in Afghanistan. Reports coming from Washington reveal that the long blockade of the GLOCs via Pakistan has cost the Pentagon more than $2.1 billion in extra transportation costs to move supplies and equipment in and out of Afghanistan through a much longer and expensive Northern Distribution Network. Official sources said that though negotiations were continuing both in Washington and Islamabad, 'significant progress' had been made in the latest interaction between Pakistani and US authorities.
The US team comprising Under-secretary of State Thomas Nydes, ISAF Commander General Allan and under Deputy Secretary of the Defence Department James Millers arrived here on Sunday evening. According to sources, they held 'decisive' talks with Pakistan civil and military leadership. Diplomatic sources said that the US Under-secretary of State Thomas Nydes who left for Kabul after holding talks with Pakistani authorities on Monday, is expected to arrive in Islamabad soon for finalising the deal.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf convened the meeting of Defence Committee of the Cabinet (DCC) on Tuesday (today) to discuss all the issues including matters pertaining to reopening of Nato supplies. According to Foreign Office Spokesman Moazam Ahmad Khan 'positive progress' has been made in normalisation of ties with the US. But, he said, no final decision has yet been taken regarding reopening of Nato supplies.
He said that it was the desire of both the countries to normalise their relations at the earliest. He said that the US side had held talks with Pakistani civil and military leadership on various issues including Nato supplies and incident of Salala border post. The Spokesman expressed optimism that both the sides would be able to resolve major issues to bring the relations back on track.
In the talks Pakistani delegation was led by Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar while Deputy Secretary of State Tom Nides led the US side, he added. Regarding Pakistan's demand for unconditional apology over the Salala incident, official sources said that the issue had been discussed during the meetings and there would be some face saving measures for the satisfaction of the people.
Foreign Office sources said that all the decisions pertaining to re-engagement with Washington including the resumption of blocked GLOCs would be taken in accordance with the parliamentary recommendations. About the pending instalments of Coalition Support Fund (CSF), the sources said that the US side had assured that Washington would release the entire CSF by the end of 2012. Following the talks with the US authorities, Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar and Finance Minister Abdul Hafeez Sheikh met Prime Minister Raja Perver Ashraf and briefed him.
According to reports Pakistan Ambassador to Washington Sherry Rehman has also been called to Islamabad to discuss the latest development and undertake consultations prior to making a final decision on reopening of the Nato supply route. The latest development coincided with US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's Sunday's telephonic contact with Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf. She discussed the latest state of Pak-US relations with Raja Pervez Ashraf. Clinton said that Pakistan and the US are waging joint struggle against terrorism and also admired Pakistan for offering great sacrifices to root out the menace of terrorism.
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