Mutual cooperation, not military aid, discussed with US: envoy

WASHINGTON: Pakistan’s Ambassador to the United States Ali Jahangir Siddiqui said no specific talks were held with the United States on military aid rather mutual cooperation was discussed. He said that Pakistan has no problem with the US-Indian ties.

Ali Jahangir Siddiqui has said peace in Afghanistan is his top policy priority and his country remains committed to ending the regional conflict.

In an interview to Bloomberg TV, Siddiqui said Pakistan is working on a second portion of a fence at its border with its war-ravaged neighbour Afghanistan. The fence is a clear sign of Pakistan’s interest in ending the regional conflict and will help Pakistan and Afghanistan equally in doing so, Siddiqui said. “Until we complete this fence, it’s unreasonable to say we aren’t doing anything,” Siddiqui said.

To a question, Ali Jehangir Siddiqui said no specific talks were held with the United States on military aid rather talks were held on mutual cooperation. He said terrorist activities in Pakistan have decreased by 80 percent.

To a question, Siddiqui said Pakistan has no problem with the growing US-Indian relationship and hoped that India will also not see our ties with the United States through any specific lens. On Pakistan’s economic imbalance Siddiqui, a former banker and private equity executive and a graduate of Cornell University, said the dwindling foreign reserves and widening current account and trade deficits require a structural change.

The envoy said a major energy shortage has hobbled Pakistan’s economy including textiles that are its prime export and suggested importing more US natural gas as a key to diversifying his nation’s energy supply while expanding trade relations.

Pakistan is on its way to becoming one of the world’s largest gas importers and the US is well on its way to becoming the world’s largest LNG exporter, Siddiqui said. There is a lot of growth in our trade relation that could occur.

Ali Jehangir Siddiqui has vowed to take measures to come out of FATF grey list. He said Pakistan has chalked out a 15-month timeframe in this regard. He said after assuming his office in Washington his main focus has been on promoting trade and economic ties with the United States.

Ambassador Siddiqui said, “We have development cooperation with China and every country can have multiple relations with different countries. He said both China and the United States are important for Pakistan.