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The much-touted talks to resolve the prolonged diplomatic deadlock between the US and Pakistan have ended in failure with Islamabad sticking to its demand for an apology for the NATO airstrikes last November that killed 24 Pakistani soldiers and Washington refusing to go beyond an expression of regret.
US Special Envoy Marc Grossman had specially flown to Islamabad this week in a bid to repair the ties, but he left on Friday night with no agreement in sight after two days of high-level discussions, The New York Times reported from Islamabad on Saturday.
Apart from an unconditional apology, the Pakistani Parliament, which conducted an extensive review of relations with the US, set forth several other conditions to salvage the relationship including a demand to end American drone strikes on terror hideouts within Pakistan.
Citing a senior US official, the Times reported that the White House was seriously debating whether to say “I’m sorry” to the Pakistanis’ satisfaction, but that was before April 15. All of that changed on that day following synchronized massive attacks on Kabul and other Afghan cities.
US military and intelligence officials concluded the attacks came at the direction of the Pakistan-based Haqqani network, promptly ending the internal debate on whether to go beyond the expression of regret and apologize.
An apology is regarded as highly problematic for President Obama, who faces a tough re-election with growing Republican attacks on several fronts. “The politics of election year in both countries are slowing down the resolution of admittedly vexed issues in an environment of persistent mistrust,” former Pakistani envoy Maleeha Lodhi was quoted as saying.
The stalemate is hurting both sides. While Pakistan has made it clear that without an apology, it will not reopen NATO supply routes to Afghanistan that remain closed since November, the US for its part is withholding between $1.18 billion and $3 billion of promised military aid to Islamabad.
The continuing deadlock does not bode well for Pakistan’s attendance at a NATO meeting in Chicago in three weeks, assuming it is even invited. The administration has been eager to cast the event as a regional security summit meeting, and Pakistan’s absence would be embarrassing.
Conceding that it could take more time to resolve the stalemate, State Department spokesperson Victoria Nuland told reporters: “As Ambassador Grossman said in Islamabad, this is the beginning of the reengagement conversation. We’re going to have to work through these issues, and it’s going to take some time.” Grossman had met with President Zardari, Prime Minister Gilani and Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar.
On the Afghan reconciliation issue, Nuland said the US has held bilateral discussions and also talked about in the core group meeting, Afghanistan, Pakistan. Stating that the Taliban was still to decide if it wanted to participate in the talks, Nuland said: “They’re in a pause phase, so they know what they need to do if they want to move this forward.”
US Special Envoy Marc Grossman had specially flown to Islamabad this week in a bid to repair the ties, but he left on Friday night with no agreement in sight after two days of high-level discussions, The New York Times reported from Islamabad on Saturday.
Apart from an unconditional apology, the Pakistani Parliament, which conducted an extensive review of relations with the US, set forth several other conditions to salvage the relationship including a demand to end American drone strikes on terror hideouts within Pakistan.
Citing a senior US official, the Times reported that the White House was seriously debating whether to say “I’m sorry” to the Pakistanis’ satisfaction, but that was before April 15. All of that changed on that day following synchronized massive attacks on Kabul and other Afghan cities.
US military and intelligence officials concluded the attacks came at the direction of the Pakistan-based Haqqani network, promptly ending the internal debate on whether to go beyond the expression of regret and apologize.
An apology is regarded as highly problematic for President Obama, who faces a tough re-election with growing Republican attacks on several fronts. “The politics of election year in both countries are slowing down the resolution of admittedly vexed issues in an environment of persistent mistrust,” former Pakistani envoy Maleeha Lodhi was quoted as saying.
The stalemate is hurting both sides. While Pakistan has made it clear that without an apology, it will not reopen NATO supply routes to Afghanistan that remain closed since November, the US for its part is withholding between $1.18 billion and $3 billion of promised military aid to Islamabad.
The continuing deadlock does not bode well for Pakistan’s attendance at a NATO meeting in Chicago in three weeks, assuming it is even invited. The administration has been eager to cast the event as a regional security summit meeting, and Pakistan’s absence would be embarrassing.
Conceding that it could take more time to resolve the stalemate, State Department spokesperson Victoria Nuland told reporters: “As Ambassador Grossman said in Islamabad, this is the beginning of the reengagement conversation. We’re going to have to work through these issues, and it’s going to take some time.” Grossman had met with President Zardari, Prime Minister Gilani and Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar.
On the Afghan reconciliation issue, Nuland said the US has held bilateral discussions and also talked about in the core group meeting, Afghanistan, Pakistan. Stating that the Taliban was still to decide if it wanted to participate in the talks, Nuland said: “They’re in a pause phase, so they know what they need to do if they want to move this forward.”
