WASHINGTON: Chief of Army Staff Gen Raheel Sharif will visit the United States next month for talks with senior US military commanders and defence officials.

This will be Gen Sharif’s first visit to the United States as the army chief, a position he assumed on Nov 29, 2013.

Official sources told Dawn that Gen Sharif is coming to the US on a personal invitation from Chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen Martin Dempsey.

Also read: Army aware of future challenges: Gen Raheel

During the week-long visit, starting on Nov 16, he is expected to meet Defence Secretary Chuck Hagel, Gen Dempsey, Commander of the US Central Command Gen Lloyd J. Austin and other members of the American defence establishment.

He is also likely to visit Centcom headquarters in Tampa, Florida, as its area of responsibility includes both Afghanistan and Pakistan.

The visit also marks the first formal consultations between the top military brass of the two countries after Sept 30, when the United States and Afghanistan signed a bilateral treaty agreement.

The agreement paves the way for deployment some 10,000 US troops scheduled to remain in Afghanistan after a UN-sponsored international combat mission ends on Dec 31.

Diplomatic observers in Washington say that the agreement will have a direct impact on Pakistan’s efforts to combat terrorism in the areas bordering Afghanistan.

Pakistan strongly supported the US-Afghan agreement on extending the deployment of American troops in Afghanistan, arguing that “a sudden withdrawal will have dangerous consequences for the entire region,” an observer said.

The agreement goes into force on Jan 1, 2015 and remains in force “until the end of 2024 and beyond” unless either side terminates it with two years’ notice.

The US troops will not be the only foreign troops staying in Afghanistan.

Kabul signed a similar agreement with Nato on Sept 30 to allow 4,000 to 5,000 additional troops — mostly from Britain, Germany, Italy, and Turkey — to stay in Afghanistan in a noncombat role after 2014.

“The Pakistanis feel that the agreement has many implications for their country and want to discuss those implications with their friends in Washington,” said another diplomatic observer while explaining why Islamabad wants to hold detailed talks with the Americans on the treaty.

Officials in Washington say that there will be a thorough discussion on strategic issues during Gen Sharif’s visit.

“The visit will focus on strategic issues. Tactical issues are discussed at lower levels,” said an official when asked what will be the focus of the planned talks.

“The purpose of the visit is to take military to military relations to a higher level,” he added.

Published in Dawn, October 27th, 2014