By IRNA,
Islamabad : US Special Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan Ambassador Marc Grossman Monday acknowledged in meeting with Pakistani Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani “reconciliation was a way forward in Afghanistan”.
“The US government would support the Afghan led and Afghan owned reintegration and reconciliation efforts,” Ambassador Grossman said on the second day of his first visit to Pakistan since his last month appointment.
A statement from the Prime Minister’s office did not mention the issue of the CIA contractor who killed two Pakistanis in January and the incident has pushed the two allies to a deepen diplomatic row.
Sources said that both sides focused on the issue of the CIA man, Raymond Davis, but there is an understanding to avoid statements on the issue, which has already caused a dent in ties.
The Prime Minister expressed hope that the new US Special Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan would endeavour for a quick transition of Pakistan-US relations from a transactional relationship to the one based on mutual respect, shared values and goals, the statement said.
“It was imperative that confidence and trust between the two countries was restored and cooperation at military, bilaterally and tripartite level including intelligence sharing was further strengthened”.
The US cancelled its trilateral meeting with Pakistan on Afghanistan that was to be hosted by Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in Washington last month to discuss Afghanistan as a protest after Islamabad refused to free the U.S. killer.
“The Prime Minister underlined the need for validation of the utility and efficacy of Pakistan-United Stated partnership by steadfastly proceeding with the strategic dialogue,’ the statement said.
He also underscored the importance that friends must share views candidly to deeper mutual understanding and isolated issues must not be allowed to impact bilateral relations, Prime Minister Gilani said in a veiled reference to the issue of the US employee.