US finding ways of improving ties with Pakistan: vice president

NEW YORK: The US Vice President, Mike Pence, on Wednesday said his country’s government was finding new ways of improving ties with Pakistan, while Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi said Pakistan was determined to eliminating terrorism.

Also, Pakistan, while discarding the contention of US President Donald Trump regarding Iran’s nuclear deal, pronounced its support for the deal, claiming that it had international and UN endorsement.

Pakistan’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations Ambassador Dr Maleeha Lodhi said this while offering her country’s reaction to a query on the assertions of Trump’s rhetoric against Iran’s nuclear deal made by his predecessor Barack Obama. In the course of her first media interaction on the margins of the ongoing 72nd United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) session, she said that sanctity of the deal cannot be denied.

Ambassador Maleeha Lodhi was flanked by Foreign Secretary Tehmina Janjua while senior officials also termed the engagements of Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi on the eve of UNGA as useful and result-oriented. She said that the meeting between Prime Minister Abbasi and Mike Pence proved to be an “ice-breaker” between Pakistan and United States in the wake of last month’s harsh strategic policy towards South Asia and especially about Afghanistan announced by Trump as leaders of Pakistan and United States after holding a round of “frank talks” agreed on continuing dialogue to address their concerns after the controversial US policy on Afghanistan. Prime Minister Abbasi and Mike Pence who met on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly have put the relationships "back on rails" since the meeting took place on the request of Washington. Tehmina Janjua described it as a good meeting. Responding to questions, she said that it was agreed that the United States would send a delegation to Pakistan in October to continue talks without giving its composition and echelon. It was the first high-level contact between the two countries after the announcement of the new US strategy that blamed Pakistan for not doing enough in its fight against terrorism. The US vice president recalled the new strategy articulated by President Trump on South Asia and said the United States values its relationship with Pakistan, a long-term partnership for security in the region. 

Responding to another question, the foreign secretary said the prime minister expressed concern over the greater role that the new policy advocated for India. She said the prime minister elaborated the points raised by the National Security Committee (NSC) in which Pakistan categorically rejected allegations contained in President Trump's speech. The committee pointed out that Pakistan has an abiding interest in peace and stability in Afghanistan and it endorsed and supported all Afghan-owned and Afghan-led initiatives for peace. Prime Minister Abbasi was assisted by Minister for Foreign Affairs Khawaja Muhammad Asif, Maleeha Lodhi, Secretary to PM Fawad Hasan Fawad, Tehmina Janjua and Pakistan's ambassador to the United States Aizaz Chaudhry. During the meeting, each side openly stated their concerns about the situation in the region. 

Welcoming the Pakistani prime minister, Mike Pence said, "We look forward to exploring ways so that we can work even more closely with Pakistan and with your government to advance security throughout the region." 

Shahid Khaqan Abbasi in response thanked the US vice president for his invitation and said he too looks forward to discussing issues of mutual interest, especially the war against terrorism. "Pakistan has been a long-standing partner and we intend to continue efforts to eliminate terrorism in the area," he said, adding, "We have made our contributions, we fought a very difficult war, we suffered casualties and have suffered economic losses and that is the message that we bring to the world."

Pakistan had urged the United States to "understand and recognise its efforts, contributions and sacrifices of thousands of Pakistanis and over 120 billion US dollars of economic losses. It was officially stated that the two leaders held discussions in a cordial atmosphere. Both sides discussed issues relating to bilateral relationship as well as peace and stability in Afghanistan and the region. The prime minister shared Pakistan’s concerns and views with regard to the US strategy for South Asia. Both sides agreed to work together to carry forward the relationship which has been a historic partnership for the last seven decades. It was agreed that the two countries would stay engaged with a constructive approach to achieve shared objectives of peace, stability and economic prosperity in the region. 

Earlier, Prime Minister Abbasi held a meeting with Iranian President Muhammad Hassan Rouhani on the sidelines of the UNGA session. They discussed strengthening of relations between the two countries and the issues of regional peace and security. 

The prime minister stated that pursuing a policy of peaceful neighbourhood, Pakistan was committed to strengthen relations with Iran which were rooted in common history, culture and people to people ties. He said that the increased high-level engagements between the two countries were contributing to deepening of mutually beneficial cooperation in diverse fields. He emphasised the need of maintaining this positive trajectory in bilateral relations for promoting trade and economic cooperation. 

President Rouhani, while reaffirming Iran’s firm commitment to strengthen ties with Pakistan, emphasised that the two countries should work together closely in deepening mutual cooperation in the areas of border management, trade and investment.

The prime minister thanked the Iranian president for Iran's consistent support for the legitimate struggle of the people of Indian Held Kashmir (IHK) for their right to self-determination. The two leaders also exchanged views about efforts for peace and stability in Afghanistan. They agreed that there was no military solution to the Afghan conflict and a politically negotiated settlement was vital for achieving lasting peace. Underscoring that Afghanistan’s neighbouring countries were seriously affected by the growing instability in Afghanistan, they emphasised the need for adopting a regional approach for bringing an end to the prolonged Afghan conflict. The prime minister and the Iranian president expressed concern over atrocities being committed against Rohingya Muslims and urged the international community to take urgent measures to alleviate the suffering of these people. 

To a question, Tehmina Janjua said that address of President Trump didn’t figure in the discussion who criticised Iran for its policies. 

Yet in another engagement in Contact Group of the OIC on Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar, Prime Minister Abbasi maintained that Pakistan is deeply concerned over the grave situation of Rohingya Muslims. Hundreds of innocent men, women and children have lost their lives, in what has rightly been described as a ‘text-book’ case of ethnic cleansing. Over 400,000 have been forced to flee their homes and seek protection and shelter in neighbouring countries. The premier said that the systematic and endemic discrimination against the Rohingya Muslims of Myanmar must end. He said the international community must exert pressure on the government of Myanmar to stop the carnage of Rohingyas.

“We call upon the government of Myanmar to take immediate steps to deescalate the situation, and ensure safety and security of the Muslim Rohingya population; respect its obligations under international law, and hold to account all perpetrators of violence against the Rohingyas; immediately allow a UN fact finding mission to the country; allow immediate access of humanitarian supplies to the affected areas; create favourable conditions for sustainable and safe return of all Rohingya refugees; grant legitimate rights including citizenship, communal participation and representation and freedom of movement, to the Rohingyas, as equal citizens of Myanmar,” he demanded. 

Prime Minister Abbasi also met Maithripala Sirisena, President of Sri Lanka. Both the leaders decided to further strengthen the bonds of friendship between Pakistan and Sri Lanka.

Meanwhile, the World Bank assured Pakistan that it is finding out way to move forward in the Indus Water Treaty (IWT) and reaffirmed its commitment for working with Pakistan.  The assurance has come from Chief Executive Officer of the bank Kristalina Georgieva who called on Prime Minister Abbasi here. She termed Pakistan's role in IWT as positive and constructive, and said the World Bank was now finding out way to move forward in the Treaty. The CEO expressed the commitment to continue to work with Pakistan and appreciated the progress made by Pakistan in stabilising the macro-economic framework.  Prime Minister Abbasi said that Pakistan has no ambiguity on the terms of the Treaty.