ISLAMABAD/ WASHINGTON: Pak­istan notes “positive developments” in its often troubled relationship with the United States as its eyes the next week’s visit of US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson to the country with a hope for improvement in understanding between the two countries.

A day before he is scheduled to embark on an extended (Oct 20 -27) visit that will also take him to Pakistan and India for talks on the new US strategy for South Asia, Mr Tillerson on Thursday met President Donald Trump at the White House.

The Foreign Office in Islamabad believes that improvement in relations between Pakistan and the US has led to enhanced bilateral cooperation.

“We are focused on the positive developments as manifested in the statements made at the higher political levels,” Foreign Office spokesman Nafees Zakaria said on Thursday as he brushed aside comments by the US envoy to United Nations, Nikki Haley, about the possible role for India of ‘keeping an eye on Pakistan’.

Tillerson consults Trump before embarking on visit to Pakistan, India

Pakistan has remained deeply opposed to regional security role envisaged by the US for India and this has been one of Islamabad’s key concerns about the Trump administration’s policy on Afghanistan and the neighbouring region.

Other senior Trump administration officials, including Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, have also spoken about the proposed role for India.

It was, therefore, rather unusual for the FO spokesman to ignore Ambassador Haley’s comments. It is believed that he was trying to avoid vitiating the atmosphere before Mr Tillerson’s visit.

The spokesman talked about upcoming senior-level visits from the US.

“Senior level visits from the US are expected as part of the understanding on bilateral engagements at various levels,” the spokesman said while responding to a question.

It should be recalled that Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi and US Vice President Mike Pence, during their telephonic conversation on Wednesday, stressed the need for maintaining high-level engagement to strengthen cooperation in areas of mutual interests.

Mr Zakaria said the ‘positive developments’ in bilateral ties were helping the two countries better understand each other and increase cooperation.

“The manifestations are productive meeting between our prime minister and the US vice president and subsequent visits of the foreign minister to the US and inter-agency meeting between the delegations of the US and Pakistan on 12 Oct,” he said.

Although Mr Zakaria did not report any major progress at the sixth meeting of the four-nation group held in Muscat, he underscored its importance being held after a long break.

Trump-Tillerson meeting

According the US State Department, Mr Tillerson consulted Mr Trump before the key visit during which he will travel to Riyadh, Doha, Islamabad, New Delhi and Geneva.

In Islamabad, the secretary will meet senior Pakistani leaders to discuss “our continued strong bilateral cooperation, Pakistan’s critical role in the success of our South Asia strategy, and the expanding economic ties between our two countries,” the State Department said.

“The secretary will build on the positive conversations he and the vice president have had with Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi,” the statement added.

Published in Dawn, October 20th, 2017