President Obama commended Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s leadership in strengthening and consolidating Pakistan’s democratic institutions.
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In brief pleasantries before the meeting, Obama stressed cooperation “not just on security matters, but also on economic and scientific and educational affairs”. Other Pakistani military facilities have been attacked.
Joining hands with Mrs. Obama at one point, Sharif said: “We shall see about making a difference and we shall not rest until every girl is learning and in school”.
Sharif agreed he hoped to “to further strengthen and solidify this relationship”.
“The bottom line is that there are a lot of deep disagreements between these two countries”, said Michael Kugelman of the Woodrow Wilson Center. “And we are looking forward to using this meeting as an opportunity to further deepen the relationship between the United States and Pakistan”. President Obama and Prime Minister Sharif renewed their common resolve to promote peace and stability throughout the region and to counter all forms of extremism and terrorism.
The leaders later “called on Taliban leaders to enter into direct talks with Kabul and work toward a sustainable peace settlement”, according to a joint statement.
“(Currently) there are no bilateral talks (between India and Pakistan) on resolving the Kashmir issue.
Appreciating the provision of counter-terrorism assistance by the Congress, Prime Minister said that due to the successful operations of the Pakistani security forces, militants’ command and control infrastructure had been destroyed and ability of militants to plan or conduct any major attack had been significantly diminished.
In the joint statement issued by the two leaders after their talks at the White Office’s Oval Office, Sharif apprised Obama about Pakistan’s resolve to take “effective action” against United Nations-designated terrorist individuals and entities, including Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and its affiliates, as per its worldwide commitments and obligations under UN Security Council resolutions. “We know what is in our national interest”, he told reporters when asked if he would fulfil his commitment to take action against Pakistan-based LeT.
“We have a long standing dialogue with Pakistan about its nuclear programme, and various developments in this programme”.
Obama last week reversed his pledge to pull US troops out of Afghanistan before he leaves office – an acknowledgment that the country still teeters on the edge of stability.
Taking note of the robust bilateral defense cooperation between their two countries, including recent military engagements, exercises, and consultations on regional security, President Obama and Prime Minister Sharif expressed satisfaction with the cooperation achieved in defense relations and reaffirmed that this partnership should endure. Echoing the sentiments of several other officials from Pakistan, Chaudhry opined that the USA should follow a fair and unpartisan policy for the two South Asian neighbors.
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The United States on Wednesday refused to comment on dossiers provided by Pakistan on Indian involvement in terror activities in FATA, Balochistan and Karachi.
