Talks with Haqqani network possible: US

[A.Rafay]

ISLAMABAD – US Ambassador to Pakistan Richard G Olson has said the principles of reconciliatory policy laid down by the Afghan government could be applicable to all extremist groups, including Haqqani network. In an interview with the BBC here on Wednesday, Olson said anyone willing to follow the policy’s three principles – crime elimination, disassociation from international violence and respect for the Constitution – would be brought into the circle of dialogue. According to the diplomat, although speaking about the reconciliatory policy or its formulation was not their but Afghanistan’s job, its implementation was enjoined upon all stakeholders. At the same time, Olson expressed concerns over Haqqani network, and said the US had conveyed to Pakistan its apprehensions over extremism and violence, and certain terrorist cells. “Now it is up to the Pakistan government to take a proper action.” To a query about fresh and better relations with Pakistan, Olson said their ties met with some difficult stages in the past, but “I agree to Pakistan Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar’s statement that the ties were heading in a positive direction”. He said the reopening of the supply routes by Pakistan was a significant development because earlier there had been a strain in the relations. He termed the continuity of the process of dialogue important for consolidation of the ties. About the notion that drone strikes were a bitter aspect of Pak-US ties, Olson said he thought that due to the shared danger of violent extremism, both the Pakistani and US people were affected and it certainly was a challenge for the entire world too. He said the US wanted to root out this menace together with Pakistan. About militant leader Maulvi Fazlullah, Olson said if any credible intelligence report was received, the US would be ready to act against him and eliminate his group from battleground.Asked whether one-sided talks with the Taliban and staging attacks on them in Pakistan and Afghanistan on the other hand was a sensible policy, the ambassador said important thing was that the reconciliatory policy was Afghanistan-owned and that the US welcomed Pakistan’s endorsing the same. “The US doesn’t think that there is any disagreement in holding talks with them and fighting them on the other hand.”One thing which is clear is that if any member of any organisation or outfit involved in war against the state would accept Afghanistan’s reconciliatory policy, talks could be initiated with him. Olson, to a query that the US wanted a military operation in Pakistan’s North Waziristan tribal region, said it was Pakistan’s internal security matter. About the US bypassing Pakistan in its several issues, he said despite not being a NATO member, Islamabad was an important ally of the US and that the history of their cooperation spanned almost 65 years. He said, “The US had confidence in the Pakistan government. I do not have any information that the Pakistan government knew of Osama bin Laden’s presence in the country. For the betterment of ties, we have been working on a daily basis.” Olson, however, applauded Pakistan’s efforts in the war against terrorism. He said like the US, Pakistan was also faced with the challenge of radical extremism, besides internal problems coping with which, according to him, was the responsibility of its government and people. According to Richard Olson, acknowledgement of Pakistan’s sacrifices in the war on radical extremism was quite important. He said he was aware that up to 50,000 Pakistanis had been killed in the past decade in this warfare. The US ambassador further said that Pakistan’s economic progress was their mutual agenda. “We want Pakistani nation’s future to be bright. We want to respect each other.” Asked about making a bet on any “politician” in Pakistan’s next general elections, Olson said that they wanted democracy and were in favour of free and fair elections in Pakistan, through which the transfer of power from a civilian government to the next government would take place.

Talks with Haqqani network possible: US | The Nation