FM Qureshi says Pompeo's visit to Pakistan ended diplomatic stalemate

ISLAMABAD: Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi has said  that the diplomatic stalemate between Pakistan and the United States has ended after Secretary Mike Pompeo's short visit to Islamabad. 

“I spoke out to Secretary Pompeo and made him understand the mindset and new approach of the new government under PM Imran Khan,” Qureshi told media persons at the conclusion of a two-hour visit of US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to Pakistan on Wednesday.

"Pakistan wants to see and review its policies with the United States in a new light and have an approach that also involves its neighbours."

“I will not be speaking on anything that will mislead the nation. I will present Pakistan’s perspective forward as that is my responsibility. And we presented this to the visiting US Secretary of State with dignity and respect,” he said.

The meeting, he said, ended on a high note and it reflected in Pompeo’s tweet.

He said that the diplomatic stalemate between Pakistan and the Unites States has been broken after today's meetings. 

“Secretary Pompeo has invited me to Washington and I will be visiting when I go to New York for the UNGA meeting in September,” he said.

The foreign minister said that Pakistan and the US would hold a follow-up meeting in September.

“The atmosphere that we saw today was cordial because the US is also now reflecting on their way forward and strategies. They have also come to the consulting that the conflict in Afghanistan has a political settlement. And this is where we will see alignment and convergence between the US and Pakistan,” he said.

He reminded that Prime Minister Imran Khan had this stance for over a decade now; one of a political settlement.

US to lead Taliban talks

“Secretary Pompeo has said that their State Department will lead this effort in collaboration with their other institutions. This is insight into their new strategy that the US has now opened up space for talks with the Taliban for a political settlement. The US does not want their footprint in Afghanistan for an indefinite time period. Of course a change of strategy of this nature can not have an exact timeline, but the will is very clear.”

He said both Pakistan and the US have also agreed to have very candid conversations, with concerns and perspective from both side on the table.

“There is no way forward without this. We understood what they want, and have also presented forward what Pakistan expects... in a mutually respectful manner.”

‏The foreign minister said that Pakistan’s agenda was one of reforms, and the basis of that is the betterment of life for the common man. Our basis is regional connectivity, economic development. And this is the agenda of our foreign policy.

Qureshi said that he would make his first trip as Foreign Minister to Kabul. 

“My first visit out of Pakistan will be to Afghanistan. They are our neighbours, we are joined by geography, culture and tradition. Now we need to be each other’s support system and work together too.”

“If Pakistan progresses, it will be beneficial to Afghanistan as well and vice versa. As we progress in talks with them, we will keep you informed.”

Civil, military leadership on same page

“The way we organised our format at the PM secretariat; our meeting had the PM, our Army Chief, DG ISI, and the US government and military reps to get all perspectives on the table. The purpose of this meeting was to remove the speculation that was there in the past in such meetings where there was considered to be a difference between civilian narratives and military narratives,” he said.

“Today, we have shown that we are all on the same page. Pakistan’s betterment is everyone’s first priority and that is what we will take forward from here.”