Agra summit figures in Haque's talks with U.S. officials

By Sridhar Krishnaswami

WASHINGTON, AUG 17. The Pakistan Foreign Secretary, Mr. Inam ul Haque, has concluded his formal meetings with senior officials of the Bush administration. At the State Department, he had a meeting and a working lunch with the U.S. Under-Secretary of State for Political Affairs, Mr. Marc Grossman. The Pakistan official also met the Assistant Secretary of State for South Asia, Ms. Christina Rocca.

The major areas of discussions revolved around the continuing sanctions against Pakistan, Indo-Pak. relations with a reference to the recent Agra summit, nuclear issues and Afghanistan, it is learnt.

Apart from what the U.S. officials have come to know about the summit, Mr. Haque is believed to have put forth Islamabad's perceptions and interpretation of what transpired.

He had a meeting at the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative with the discussion revolving around Islamabad and the World Trade Organisation.

Mr. Haque's visit comes when the Bush administration is considering some moves on sanctions in South Asia. Islamabad has been arguing that the anti-business sanctions and continuing discriminatory laws against it would have to be lifted.

Further, Pakistani officials and diplomats have been saying that the Republican administration should not discriminate between India and Pakistan when it comes to lifting the punitive measures. Though the State Department has not officially responded to this, it has been made clear that sanctions against Pakistan also has the ``democracy'' component built in and therefore some of the punitive measures will have to remain until the restoration of democracy.

Mr. Haque has come here when some in the administration circles are cheering the Pakistan President, Gen. Pervez Musharraf's ``road map'' for ``real'' democracy by 2002. In generally welcoming the announcement, the State Department has asked for more details - for example if the coming elections will be party- based.

One of the crucial aspects of the U.S.-Pak. ties is Afghanistan and Washington's efforts to get the Saudi terrorist, Osama bin Laden, who is indicted in this country. The Bush administration sees Osama in the larger framework of global and regional terrorism. With the United Nations tightening its sanctions regime against the Taliban, the focus is on Pakistan. While Islamabad pleads that it has only limited influence over the Taliban, the perception here is that Pakistan should do ``more''.

Apart from sanctions, what will be of interest in the coming days is whether senior officials recommend to the U.S. President, Mr. George W. Bush, that he meet Gen. Musharraf on the sidelines of the U.N. meeting. Officials and diplomats here are certain that Mr. Bush will meet the Prime Minister, Mr. A.B. Vajpayee, in New York.

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Section  : International
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