News
Monday, May 14, 2012
Pakistan, Afghanistan, ISAF meet after several monthsTop commanders hold border talks
* Tripartite Commission focuses on border control measures and mechanisms put in place to avoid untoward incidents on both sides of Pak-Afghan border
By I Hussain
RAWALPINDI/ISLAMABAD: Ahead of the NATO summit in Chicago, Afghanistan, Pakistan and ISAF on Sunday agreed on border control mechanism while restoration of the NATO supply also came under discussion during the 35th meeting of Tripartite Commission at GHQ.
Pakistan Army contingent was led by COAS General Ashfaq Pervaiz Kayani while ISAF commander General John Allen and Afghan National Army Chief of General Staff General Sher Muhammad Karimi headed their respective delegations in the meeting, ISPR stated.
The three sides resumed high-level military contacts after a break of several months.
According to sources, both General Karimi and General Allen were interested in restoration of the NATO supply. But the Afghan and ISAF sides seemed to agree to General Kayani that parliament had furnished its recommendations and it is for the government to decide fate of the stalled supply to NATO, sources added.
“Such meetings are routine in this war-torn region but this 35th meeting was important when Pak-US ties are under review after the incident of November,” said the sources.
The supply was blocked after a NATO/ISAF attack in Mohmand in November killed 24 Pakistani soldiers.
The issue of reviewing ties with the US and restoration of NATO supply was handed over to parliament. The Parliamentary Committee on National Security and Defence Committee of the Cabinet (DCC) separately held several rounds of talks. A joint session of parliament furnished and submitted its recommendations to the government two months ago, demanding unconditional apology from the US for the Mohmand attack and ending drone attacks.
But the US is reluctant to either seek apology for what happened in November or clearly agree to stop drone attacks.
This reluctance on part of Washington has delayed the restoration of NATO supply. However, observers believe that the meetings like that of the Tripartite Commission reveal that the tension between Islamabad and Washington is easing now.
A spokesman of ISPR said the Sunday talks focused on border control measures, and mechanisms put in place to avoid untoward incidents on both sides of Pak-Afghan border. They agreed to keep an eye on the movement along Pak-Afghan border.
Official sources said the government was likely to soon decide fate of the restoration of NATO supply. “Certain diplomats support decision before the NATO meeting in Chicago,” the added.
Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani has called in meeting of the DCC on Tuesday that may decide restoration of the supply.
NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen has already said that Pakistan could miss out on the important summit on future of Afghanistan to be held in Chicago on May 20-21 if it fails to reopen supply routes in time.
On Saturday, the ISAF commander held an important bilateral meeting with General Kayani agreeing on improved border coordination while restoration of the supply to NATO in Afghanistan also came under discussion.
The tripartite meeting could not be held on the same day as General Karimi, who was present in the Sunday meeting, had not then arrived in Islamabad.
Courtesy www.dailytimes.com.pk