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Pak-US strategic dialogue to have broad agenda: Holbrooke
WASHINGTON: US Special Representative for Pakistan and Afghanistan Richard Holbrooke has said the strategic dialogue between Pakistan and the United States of America had a broad and complex agenda.However, the focus will be to strengthen democratic institutions in Pakistan, eliminating terrorism, ending poverty and finding solutions for the power crisis, he told reporters at a briefing at the State Department here on Friday.
Ambassador Holbrooke said inclusion of Army chief Gen Ashfaq Parvez Kayani in the Pakistani delegation was the decision of the Pakistan government and “we welcome that decision”. About reports suggesting that the US was more comfortable with talking to the military rather than talking to the Zardari government, he said laughingly that “we consider them one government and one team”.
“How can you have strategic dialogue without the Army chief,” he questioned. “If we have strategic dialogue in our country, we will have the Chairman Joint Chief of Staff Admiral Mullen or any of his representatives,” he said. But the decision to include Gen Kayani in the delegation was the decision of the Pakistani government, he added
He said the Obama administration wanted to help Pakistan immediately but the process was little lengthy because the Congress, which has its own rules and procedures, writes the checks.
Ambassador Richard Holbrooke said the strategic dialogue with Pakistan would not be at the expense of any other country. He said the next round of strategic dialogue between the two countries would take place in Islamabad in next six months. Holbrooke also said he and Admiral Mullen had postponed the next week’s trip to Pakistan.
Courtesy www.Geo.tv