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US Afghan policy shouldn’t disturb regional balance, says Gilani

Staff Report

ISLAMABAD: America’s policy on Afghanistan should not disturb the balance of power in South Asia, Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani said on Friday.

“The US must share the contours of its roadmap towards Afghanistan with Pakistan and ensure incorporation of Pakistan’s input in the American Afghanistan policy,” Gilani said while talking to US Central Intelligence Agency Director Leon Panetta.

During the meeting, Gilani and Panetta discussed Washington’s review of its policy on Afghanistan.

“The US Afghan policy must take into account Pakistan’s concerns relating to a possible surge of the US and ISAF forces in Kabul. It may entail negative implications for the situation in Balochistan,” he said.

The prime minister said it was imperative to remove misgivings, build trust and align the respective strategic concepts of Pakistan and the US to steadfastly move forward in the strategic partnership between the two countries.

He also underlined the need for close coordination between the intelligence agencies of both the sides to effectively counter misperceptions in the relationship.

The CIA director assured Gilani that the US was fully conscious of Pakistan’s pivotal role in the war against terrorism and in the restoration of stability in Afghanistan.

“The US considers Pakistan a strategic partner with whom it wants to build a long-term and sustained relationship even beyond the cooperation in countering the militancy and extremism,” Panetta said.

Panetta and Gilani agreed on "operational functioning between the two militaries and intelligence agencies" to eliminate the threat of terrorism.

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