According to a press report, the second round of the Pakistan-United States talks, that were expected to be held in Islamabad under the rubric of strategic dialogue this month, has been postponed. This is the second time the dialogue has been postponed, once again at the request of the United States.
And once again the pre-occupation of US Under-Secretary of State for Political Affairs Nicholas Burns, who was to head the American side at the talks, has been cited as the reason for the postponement. The change of programme that the newspaper learnt through diplomatic channels has caused both surprise and embarrassment to Islamabad.
For one, Pakistan's ambassador in Washington, Mehmud Durrani who was here for the Pakistani envoys conference earlier this month had extended his stay just to be present at the talks. (He has now returned to Washington.) Secondly, last week the Foreign Office spokesperson had almost confirmed that the talks would take place. But this Monday at the regular briefing she said there was no confirmation of the dates for the talks yet.
The strategic dialogue between Pakistan and the United States was the major upshot of President Bush's visit to Islamabad on March 4, 2006 when Washington committed itself to Pak-US strategic partnership as recognition of Pakistan's high-risk involvement in the fight against international terrorism. The first meeting for the strategic dialogue materialised soon after in Washington between Foreign Secretary Riaz Muhammad Khan and Nicholas Burns. But since that inaugural meeting in April 2006, the United States seems to have been dragging its feet. Initially, the second round was scheduled for November 6, 2006 but it did not take place for some 'pressing engagement' of Under-Secretary Burns.
In spite of Islamabad's oft-repeated assertions that it is a partner in the US-led fight against international terrorism for a commitment of its own, there can be no denying the fact that a popular perception in Pakistan is that the understanding between the two countries carries an un-written quid pro quo. That quid pro quo is believed to have formed the basis of the strategic partnership by way of a regular dialogue within the framework of Pak-US bilateral relationship. Of course, in the meantime there have been visits here by important US officials including that by Vice President Dick Cheney and Defence Secretary Robert Gates. American generals too came visiting here. The latest visitor was Assistant Secretary of State Richard Boucher who arrived on Wednesday to attend the dinner President Pervez Musharraf hosted for the outgoing US Ambassador Ryan Crocker.
But all these visits and meetings were in the context of military campaign against the Taliban and al Qaeda, to which Pakistan is already over-committed. In fact, Pakistan also wants the United States to bring under focus the issues, military and political, particularly those that have come to threaten the bilateral relationship in the wake of Democrats capturing the Capitol Hill. There is this resolution linking Pakistan's handling of the Taliban fighters with the sale of F-16 aircraft.
Then, there is the US build-up in the Gulf said to be aimed at attacking Iran, which Pakistan says would cause large-scale instability in the region. The United States' nuclear deal with India is yet another issue that Pakistan would like to bring up at the strategic dialogue in its bid to seek equal treatment. And, most importantly, the recent political and other developments in Pakistan, as seen by the American media and civil society, are the issues that the Musharraf government would like the US Administration to understand in their correct perspectives. The confusion about the timeline for the second round of talks tends to undermine the spirit of the strategic partnership. The sooner this confusion is cleared the better it would be for both the partners.