Yes, it certainly looks like a step in the right direction, at first. Holbrooke and others have been coming and meeting every minister and their family recently, which shows their lack of respect for the Pakistani political hierarchy. However, this is also one way the PPP government can ensure nobody, not even the opposition, are allowed to present a view or opinion counter to those of the PPP. Maybe I am reading too much into it, but I am uncomfortable with having only Zardari and Malik as our interface to outside world.
Also, does this also affect trips to foreign lands? What doyou think the PPP makes of Shahbaz Shareef's meeting with Gordon Brown in England. It came as a surprise to me that SS traveled to England to speak with their PM on a one-to-one basis, but I don't think it was necessarily with "permission".