Senior Pakistani and American officials on Friday held “candid discussions” on bilateral ties strained after Afghan Taliban chief was killed in a US drone strike in Balochistan and the F-16 fighter jet deal was scuttled due to a row over their financing.
A US delegation which included senior Director for Afghanistan and Pakistan at the US National Security Council Peter lavoy and Special Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan Richard Olson arrived here this morning to hold talks with Pakistan’s civilian and military leaders.
lavoy called on Adviser to the Prime Minister’s on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz and Foreign Secretary Aizaz Ahmed Chaudhry.
“They held candid discussions on bilateral relations, regional security situation and the Afghan peace process” in the wake of the 21 May drone strike in Balochistan that killed Afghan Taliban chief Mullah Akhtar Mansour.
The Adviser conveyed “a strong message” to the US that the drone strike was not only a violation of Pakistan’s sovereignty and breach of the principles of the UN’s Charter, but has also vitiated bilateral ties, Foreign Office said in a statement.
“It was emphasised that any future drone strike in Pakistan will be detrimental to our common desire to strengthen relations,” it said.
The family of the Pakistani driver killed along with Mansour in the US drone strike has also demanded justice.
Aziz said the drone strike had “seriously undermined” the ongoing efforts for Afghan peace and reconciliation process at a time when Pakistan along Quadrilateral Coordination Group (QCG) countries was engaged in serious efforts to revive peace talks between Afghan Government and the Taliban.
The Foreign Secretary recalled that in QCG’s fifth meeting on May 18, 2016, it was decided that peace
negotiations remained the only option for a political settlement.