News
Saturday, August 04, 2012
Pak, US spy chiefs hold ‘productive’ talks
WASHINGTON: The US and Pakistani intelligence chiefs held "productive" talks on Thursday regarding ways to work together to fight extremists, a US official said, in a new sign of easing tensions between the countries.
Lieutenant General Zaheerul Islam, the new head of the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) agency, is on his first visit to Washington, which is also the first in a year by the leader of Pakistan's powerful spy body.
Islam met with Central Intelligence Agency Director David Petraeus, on Thursday, and held "substantive, professional and productive" talks, a senior US official said on condition of anonymity.
"The talks provided an opportunity to discuss a number of proposals for how we can enhance our joint efforts against terrorism," the official said.
"Both leaders reaffirmed their commitment to work together to counter the terrorist presence in the region that threatens both US and Pakistani national security," he said.
The official did not go into further detail. The United States has been looking for ways to cooperate with the ISI, whose relationship with US spies has swung from friendly to hostile in recent years.
Meanwhile, the ISI DG also met with US special envoy for Pakistan and Afghanistan Marc Grossman and US State Department officials in Washington, discussing security situation on Pak-Afghan border among various other issues.
According to the US State Department, trust was being restored between the two countries and they were hopeful for cordial ties with Pakistan. afpCourtesy www.dailytimes.com.pk