ISLAMABAD Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi said on Wednesday the US had agreed to discuss during the second round of regional policy review in May Pakistan`s concerns over drone attacks on its territory.

“I have asked my interlocutors in Washington to weigh the perceived advantages and disadvantages of the drone strikes. If the negatives outweigh the positives of the strategy, there will definitely be a case for review of the policy,” the minister said at a media briefing on his recent trips to the United States, Iran and Czech Republic.

He said he firmly believed that the disadvantages in the shape of collateral damage and alienation of masses outweighed the tactical advantage perceived by the US.

Mr Qureshi said the US authorities had taken note of his contention and the matter would be taken up during the policy review meetings scheduled for May 6-7.

“We have compelled them to rethink the issue and it is hoped that things will progress in the next interaction,” he said.

Although the foreign minister`s confidence ran counter to vibes coming out of Washington indicating a planned widening of drone strikes, Mr Qureshi said he had clearly identified “red-lines” and told US officials that Pakistan`s sensitivities ought to be recognised.

“There is a significant change and the Obama administration is willing to listen,” he said.

Over the past eight months, there have been about three dozen strikes in which about 350 people have been killed.
The foreign minister said he had also conveyed to the US concerns about the planned military surge in Afghanistan. “I have told them that the military surge will have implications for Pakistan and they need to be analysed for formulating a collective strategy to deal with them.”

He said the news US administration was committed to expediting legislation for setting up `reconstruction opportunity zones`. The Obama administration acknowledged that the zones would have an important role in the policy that was being framed for the region, he said.

He said there appeared to be a bipartisan consensus in the US to help Pakistan and more than triple economic assistance for the country.

Senator John Kerry, chairman of US Senate`s Foreign Relations Committee, was forthright and very supportive for the move, he said. “This desire to assist Pakistan despite United States` own financial and economic problems is appreciable.”

Mr Qureshi said the US was considering to enhance the capacity of Pakistan`s law-enforcement agencies to deal with extremism and terrorism. “There is acknowledgement that Pakistan has been persistently seeking capacity enhancement, but the response may not have been up to its expectations.”

About his meetings in Prague in connection with the European Union troika`s ministerial meeting, he said the Europeans were also keen on helping Pakistan.

However, the minister warned that the country might miss out on opportunities coming its way if it lacked political stability.

“I wish to request both the opposition and the government that if we want to overcome economic challenges, defeat terrorism and extremism, improve relations with neighbours and benefit from the opportunities available to us, we need to have political stability.”

He urged political parties to strive for national consensus, reconciliation and a clear direction for future. “We need to put our house in order if we want the world to listen to us seriously.”

Regarding his meetings in Tehran on the sidelines of Economic Cooperation Organisation`s summit, he said plans were afoot for a Pakistan-Afghanistan-Iran summit tentatively scheduled for late April or early May.

The summit will be preceded by a preparatory officials` meeting in Islamabad and a foreign ministers` meeting in Kabul.