Strategic dialogue with US Aizaz to represent Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: Foreign Secretary Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhry arrived in Washington on Saturday to represent Pakistan in comprehensive strategic dialogue (CSD) with the United States commencing tomorrow (Monday) in the State Department.
According to the Foreign Office sources the nuclear non-proliferation will be significant among the six subjects of discussion. The strategic stability will be yet another subject that would be having prominence in the course of dialogue. It is likely that the talks would continue for two days.
Pakistan’s Ambassador to the United States, Syed Jalil Abbas Jailani, will also assist his foreign secretary in the dialogue. Jailani was Foreign Secretary before assuming the incumbent slot. Senior officers of the Foreign Office and officials of the Strategic Plans Division (SPD) have also travelled with the foreign secretary to take part in the talks, the sources added. The US Under Secretary of State for Arms Control, Rose Eilene Gottemoeller, will head the host country’s delegation for the dialogue.
The sources said that the dialogue is part of the strategic dialogue process, which is having the following six working groups: economy and trade, energy, counter-terrorism and law-enforcement, defence and nuclear non-proliferation and education, science and technology.
The dialogue suffered set back in the wake of Osama bin Laden killing in May 2011 and Salala episode where the 22 officers and jawans of the Pakistan Army were martyred by the Americans but mark improvement has been noticed since 2013 after assumption of the government by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and the stall dialogue were resumed.
The observers are of the view that the nuclear and strategic stability talks are quite significant from Pakistan’s perspective.
They pointed out that Pakistan’s recent steps to improve the safety and security of its nuclear assets had helped generate a better understanding of its nuclear programme in the Western capitals, especially in the United States. At a news briefing last week, State Department Spokesperson Marie Harf rejected media suggestions that Saudi Arabia and Pakistani officials had met recently to discuss nuclear cooperation. “I am not sure I would presume that was the topic of discussion, and I don’t think we have concern about it,” she said.