The Obama-Nawaz dialogue

The much-hyped visit of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to the US warrants an incisive look at the actual outcome of the dialogue between the two leaders. What caught the fancy of most of commentators and media analysts before the visit was the speculation that the US would want Pakistan to halt its short-range missile programme in exchange for a possible deal on civil-nuclear technology.
But the joint statement issued after the talks between the two leaders makes no mention of the subject. In the context of ‘strategic stability’ and ‘nuclear security and non-proliferation’, however, they did talk about the threat of nuclear terrorism. Obama welcomed Pakistan’s constructive engagement with the Nuclear Security Summit process and its cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency and other international forums in this regard. In the regional context they stressed the importance of regional balance.
By acknowledging the importance of regional balance, the US actually endorsed the rationale for Pakistan’s nuclear missile programme, which is India-specific and in response to the Indian doctrine of ‘Cold Start’. Pakistan played its cards very well in this regard and pre-empted the chances of the US raising the subject of capping the missile programme by sending a loud and clear message prior to the Nawaz-Obama meeting that Pakistan would never compromise on its nuclear programme.
The prime minister categorically said so in London before leaving for the US. National Security Advisor Sartaj Aziz, in an interview with the BBC in response to a question regarding our missile programme, categorically rejected the possibility of Pakistan making any compromise on the issue. This firm stand on the missile programme, probably discouraged Obama from raising the subject during the talks, to avoid the embarrassment of a possible ‘no’ from Nawaz. This can be seen as a very positive outcome of the visit.
When it came to Indo-Pak relations, while Obama emphasised the need for dialogue between India and Pakistan to resolve all issues, including Kashmir – which was not specifically mentioned in previous interactions between the two leaders – he did not offer any mediation by the US to facilitate the process of dialogue. That is something Pakistan would have liked him to do.
Nawaz Sharif in his interaction with members of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee had observed that the US was the proper third party for mediation between the two countries. After his meeting with President Obama, while talking to the media, PM Nawaz again stressed the need for a a mediatory role by the US in view of the bilateral arrangement having failed to deliver the desired results. The US probably did not want to annoy India for the sake of its own strategic interests in the region. Nevertheless, having extracted acknowledgement of Kashmir being an outstanding dispute from Obama in itself was one of the positives of the visit.
Instead of asking and embarrassing Pakistan by demanding action against the perpetrators of the Mumbai attacks, he emphasised the need for both India and Pakistan to work together to address mutual concerns about terrorism. The reference to mutual concerns is an implied pointer to Indian involvement in acts of terrorism in Pakistan about which three dossiers have been handed over to the US authorities. It surely represents the success of Pakistan government in countering the one-sided propaganda by India.
Obama unhesitatingly acknowledged Pakistan as a key counterterrorism partner and appreciated our role in degrading and ultimately defeating Al-Qaeda and its affiliates. He also commended and honoured the sacrifices made by Pakistan’s security forces in Operation Zarb-e-Azb which has scuttled the ability of terrorists to plan and execute attacks.
Obama’s remarks were indeed very reassuring for Pakistan as they endorsed and corroborated our credentials as a sincere partner in the war against terror as well as acknowledged the non-discriminatory nature of Operation Zarb-e-Azb. It is pertinent to mention that the top US military commander in Afghanistan, General John F Campbell, in a written testimony to the Senate Armed Services Committee recently said: “Senior Pakistani military officers have repeatedly declared that they can no long discriminate between ‘good and bad’ terrorists. They appear to be taking meaningful actions to back up their words”.
Nawaz also apprised Obama of the steps being taken by Pakistan to ensure that terrorist groups, including the Haqqani Network, do not operate from Pakistani soil and expressed the country’s unflinching resolve to take effective action against UN-designated terrorist individuals and entities, including the Lashkar-e-Taiba and its affiliates as per international commitments and obligations under UN Security Council resolutions and the Financial Action Task Force.
On Afghanistan, the US appreciated the role that Pakistan played in facilitating and hosting the first ever dialogue between the Taliban and the Afghan government, and both countries reaffirmed their support for an Afghan-led and Afghan-owned peace and reconciliation process. President Obama underscored the role Pakistan could play in the future to restart the process.
Both leaders agreed that regional peace and stability required the prevention of attacks across the Pak-Afghan border, recognising that a stable and peaceful Pak-Afghan border was important for the success of counterterrorism, counter-insurgency and counter-IED efforts. They also underscored the critical significance of an effective border coordination mechanism between Pakistan and Afghanistan in achieving these objectives. These deliberations more or less conform to the Pakistani view on the issue.
About bilateral relations between Pakistan and US, both leaders reaffirmed that a mutual commitment to democracy is a key pillar of the US-Pak partnership. Obama commended Nawaz’s leadership in strengthening and consolidating the democratic institutions of Pakistan.
Commitment was also made to go beyond the traditional relationship in the security realm and expanding cooperation in trade and investment, education, science and technology, efficient and affordable energy, climate change, economic growth, regional integration, rule of law, people-to-people contact and cultural ties. Both of them agreed to build on the ongoing US-Pak strategic dialogue to accelerate progress in all the identified areas.
The visit, contrary to the predictions and views of some arm-chair gladiators and the flag-bearers of cynicism, has not been a disappointing one at all. The foregoing facts represent encouraging portents regarding cooperation between the two countries on issues of mutual concern, peace and stability in the region, relations with Afghanistan, taking the fight against terrorism to its logical conclusion and recognition of Pakistan’s stance in regards to Kashmir and relations with India.
It was undoubtedly the result of astute diplomacy tinged with visionary formulation on the relevant issues. And when Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif says that all the objectives of the visit have been achieved, one finds it difficult to take issue with that.
The writer is a freelance contributor.
Email: ashpak10@gmail.com