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Pakistan’s role key in Afghanistan: Miliband
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WASHINGTON: Pakistan's relationship with Afghanistan is close to the core of Islamabad's national security interests and Pakistan has to be a partner in finding solutions in its western neighbour, British Foreign Secretary David Miliband emphasised Wednesday.
Delivering a lecture on how to end the war in Afghanistan, Miliband saw a "vital" opportunity in new expanding US-Pakistan partnership to address Islamabad's concerns.
"There has been a significant change in Pakistan in the last 18 months under President Zardari's civilian government. The reality and threat of domestic terrorism has brought new purpose to civilian and military leadership, and new consensus between leaders and led," he noted at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, near Boston. As a result of Pakistani actions and coalition's efforts on the Afghan side, he said it is now realistic to talk of complementary pressure on the Taliban insurgencies on both sides of the border.
The British Foreign Secretary argued in favour of a regional cooperative effort toward Afghanistan's solution. He said there needs to be a more honest acknowledgement of the different interests and concerns of Afghanistan neighbours, so that efforts can be made to provide reassurances. "Pakistan is essential here. It holds many of the keys to security and dialogue. It clearly has to be a partner in finding solutions in Afghanistan."
Of course, Pakistan will only act according to its own sense of its national interest, he remarked. "That is only natural. Pakistan's relationship with Afghanistan is close to the core of its national security interests. Pakistan fears the build up of a non-Pashtun Afghan National Army on their doorstep", he stated.-APP
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