Pakistan-US Relations

Remarks by Ambassador Mahmud Durrani

Los Angeles World Affairs Council

February 22, 2007

Pakistan has been a steadfast ally of the US in almost every major challenge the US has confronted in the post world war II period - the Cold War, the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan and now the global war against terrorism. Pakistan was the conduit through which President Nixon visited China in 1972, to begin a new chapter in the relations between the two countries. At one point Pakistan came to be known as the most “allied ally” of the US, quite an accomplishment in the presence of UK and Israel . Yet, Pakistan also has the dubious distinction of being the most sanctioned ally of the US.

In the mid-fifties Pakistan became a member of US led CENTO and SEATO security arrangements, essentially designed for the containment of the Soviet Union . While NATO contained the Soviet Union from the West, CENTO AND SEATO contained it from the South and the East. From the mid-fifties to the mid-sixties our relations were outstanding. The US was probably the most popular country in Pakistan during that golden period.

Unfortunately relations between the two countries began cooling off in the second half of the sixties - soon after India and Pakistan fought the 1965 war. We became the forgotten ally and by the seventies we had a number of sanctions imposed on us for a variety of reasons.

In the closing days of 1979 the Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan . And the US, once again, badly needed Pakistan. Pakistan obliged as there was a convergence of interest. Thus began another decade of close relations between our two countries.

The US, in close collaboration with Pakistan, supported, funded and trained mujahadeen from Afghanistan, Pakistan and some other nationalities. This cooperation led to the defeat of the Soviets in Afghanistan and their ultimate withdrawal. This defeat proved to be the last straw which broke the back of the Soviet camel.

Unfortunately after its victory in Afghanistan, the attention of the US was diverted elsewhere, leaving Pakistan and Afghanistan to contend with the wreckage of the jihad in Afghanistan. Therein lay the seeds of the rise of the War Lords and the present day Taliban. The US believing that it no longer needed Pakistan chose to invoke punitive legislations, such as the Symington and Pressler Amendments and stopped military sales to Pakistan citing concerns about Pakistan's nuclear program.

The slide in the relationship continued through the 90s. This was the time of the rule of the warlords in Afghanistan, followed by the rule of the Taliban and the birth of Al Quaida, also in Afghanistan. As if this was not enough, India conducted nuclear tests in May 1998 followed by very offensive rhetoric, leaving no choice for Pakistan but to conduct nuclear tests of its own. These tests resulted in fresh sanctions and the downslide in Pakistan-US relations continued.

Yet once again it was Afghanistan, in the wake of 9/11 that pulled the relationship out of the rut to the present day when Pakistan is once again an important ally and a frontline state, this time to fight global terrorism.

I strongly believe that the rollercoaster of the past has to stop. If we are to rid the relationship of its past oscillation, we must broaden the relationship and give it greater depth. We have to develop a relationship capable of weathering the irritants of the day. Unfortunately I can already see bad weather ahead.

Let us step back to March of last year when President Bush visited Pakistan. During his historic visit to Islamabad the two countries announced a long-term partnership and initiated a strategic dialogue process to lend sustainability to the relationship. Pakistan and the US are today engaged in cooperation in the fields of economics, trade, science and technology, energy and education. However security relations continue to be the center-piece and within that is our joint operation to defeat global terrorism. Incidentally, terrorism and extremism is a bigger threat to Pakistan than it is to the US.

A positive of the new US Pakistan relationship, in the post 9/11 phase is the presence of a mechanism to conduct a periodic review of the relationship at a very senior level. This mechanism is called the Strategic Dialogue, to be held alternately in Pakistan and the US. The first dialogue was held in Washington DC last year. We are now preparing for the second session of dialogue between Under Secretary of State Nick Burns and Pakistan 's Secretary of Foreign Affairs Riaz Mohammad Khan. Hopefully it will be held in Islamabad in March 2007. This dialogue reviews the full spectrum of the relationship with the purpose of removing irritants and providing impetus.

Besides the forum of the strategic dialogue we have a similar forum for military cooperation between Afghanistan , Pakistan and ISAF forces, known as the Tripartite Commission. Essentially a coordinating mechanism which brings together officials from Pakistan, Afghanistan and the United States to discuss all issues they confront in their battle against terrorism. Unfortunate, at times, this Commission is bypassed and the parties bring their differences into the public domain through the media, thus making it even more difficult to bridge them.

In spite of the recent spate of criticism in the US, it is my belief that Pakistan is playing a pivotal role in the fight against Al-Quaida and the Taliban. We have arrested some of the most senior Al-Quaida leaders and rooted out Taliban strongholds from our tribal areas. Pakistan has also taken some of the heaviest hits in the war against terrorism. It lost more than 900 soldiers in operations against the Taliban with twice as many wounded. Over the last few weeks over hundred security personnel have been killed by suicide bombing across Pakistan - in Peshawar, Islamabad, Quetta and the interior of Punjab.

Unfortunately today Pakistan seems to be a victim of its own success. Many in the US are pushing us to do more. Many analysts, within and outside your government consistently see the glass as half empty. Let me explain our mutual dilemma as explained by a British scholar who has spent considerable time in Pakistan in the recent months, and I quote, “The Americans speak the truth as they see it. They think that Pakistan is not doing enough. The Pakistan side tells the truth as it sees it. Pakistani authorities believe that they are handling the issue of terrorism as effectively as they can”. Unquote. I believe the only way out of this dilemma is to develop a common perspective and improve coordination. Easier said than done.

A strategic partnership requires mutual trust and confidence. To inspire confidence we should avoid public reproach and criticism of each other. This is not to say that we should not talk frankly. We should talk very frankly but, not through the media. It is unfortunate that the media has become the preferred mode of communication between Afghanistan , Pakistan and now the US. This does not augur well for the future.

In the 80s, our coordinated efforts in Afghanistan led to the defeat of the Soviet Union. We need a similar jointness to get rid of the terrorism that has destabilized the entire region.

Now let me briefly focus on Afghanistan. It is convenient to externalize the causes of Afghanistan's current problems, especially the resurgence of the Taliban. Taliban are essentially an Afghan phenomenon. No one denies that some elements of the Taliban and their sympathizers crossed over into Pakistan . However placing all the blame on Pakistan for the resurgence of the Taliban is incorrect and more importantly it will not solve the problem. The cross border movement of terrorist, out of and into Afghanistan, is not because of us but in spite of us.

Pakistan has taken major steps to prevent cross-border movement by Taliban militants and by other terrorists across the rugged 2400 KM border. However with 200,000 people crossing the border daily it is very difficult to sift the bad guys from the good guys. We believe that fencing the border at selected places, introduction of documentation and the repatriation of Afghan refugees from Pakistan would substantially reduce the threat of cross border movement of the Taliban and Al-Quaida.

However we believe that despite every effort by Pakistan, Afghanistan will not be able to prevail over the Taliban unless it resolves to improve governance, reduce the hold of the warlords, eliminate corruption, and uproot the drug mafia. These pervasive problems promote an environment in which terrorism will flourish. I am glad to note that President Bush in a policy speech delivered on the 15 th of this month acknowledged these problems and articulated the commitment of the US to help Afghanistan in these areas.

Let me assure you that a stable Afghanistan , free of Taliban is a prerequisite for the realization of Pakistan's dream of emerging as a trade and energy hub at the confluence of South, West and Central Asia .

A recent bill, HR-1, essentially designed to implement recommendations of the 9/11 Commission passed by the House of Representatives in January this year, has some piggy back clauses against Pakistan. If adopted in its present form the Bill will cause a huge setback to Pakistan US relations. The sanctions approach in this bill is a reminder to the Pakistani nation of the 1990s period when several sanctions were imposed. Sanctions did not work in the past and will not work in the future. More likely they will strengthen the hands of the anti-American forces in Pakistan.

Instead of returning to the estranged years of 1990s, we should develop a more sustained relationship, capable of weathering the irritants of the day. Rather than focusing on short term and narrow interests, we should deepen our collaboration, take a long-term view of issues and try to overcome problems. It is in this way that we can develop a new phase of Pakistan-US relations.

A few words on the state of Pakistan 's economy. We have achieved economic recovery and sustainable growth as a result of financial discipline and a consistent policy of liberalization, privatization and deregulation. Our economy is now on a high growth trajectory. All macro-economic indicators are positive. After a GDP growth of over 7 % in fiscal year 2004-05, the economy grew by 6.5% last year and is expected to grow by 7% this year. All sectors of the economy are showing progress including manufacturing, agriculture and services sectors. A growing middle class has increased consumption of goods including automobile, consumer durables and telecom.

Pakistan today has a very attractive investment climate in the region. There are enormous opportunities for cooperation between our two countries, ranging from energy, telecom, engineering, textile and the service sector. More than 600 foreign companies are doing business in Pakistan and posting impressive profits. Pakistan is acknowledged to be the most liberalized economy in South Asia. The US therefore needs to discover the Pakistani market.

As Pakistan's ambassador to the US it is my mandate to expand and strengthen our relationship to a point where it can withstand the occasional shock which come our way. But this will only happen if we are willing to understand each other, develop trust and work in a coordinated fashion, especially in the war against terrorism.

Ladies and gentlemen, in the end I would like to make two points. First, Pakistan is totally committed to fight terrorism in our region, what ever it takes. Not so much for your sake but for the sake of Pakistan itself. Let us not waste time in mistrusting each other, which will only strengthen our enemy. Second, in spite of the great physical distance that divides us, the people of Pakistan share common moral values with the people of the United States based on our common Abrahamic heritage and the principles of liberty, equality and freedom. We need to work together to build a long term sustainable relationship based on these shared values and other common interests.

I thank you for your attention.

February 22, 2007