Re: NATO summit
It is important to note that discussions regarding the reopening of NATO supply lines through Pakistan are still ongoing. The details will continue to emerge, and we hope to reach a resolution in the very near future**. **Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani had also made it clear that NATO’S invitation to the summit was not conditional on reopening the supply routes. Meanwhile, it is heartening to see our nations working hard to improve the level of cooperation and coordination. We’ve wasted enough time. The need of the hour is to get on the same page and iron out our differences. As Foreign Minister of Pakistan Hina Rabbani said, “When there’s a debate about Afghanistan taking place, in your opinion, should a country like Pakistan, which is a responsible regional player, an important neighbor, and a country that has huge stakes in peace and stability in Afghanistan, not participate? The spillover effect of instability in Afghanistan is instantaneous in Pakistan, and if there is stability in Afghanistan, the effect of that in Pakistan too should be instantaneous. I will completely disagree with anyone at all who says that Pakistan should not participate in such a forum. This is the question for Pakistan – what message do we want to give the world? Are we an enabler, a facilitator, a responsible country on the road that leads to Afghan stability, or do we want to give the message that we are a blocker, a disabler, to the international efforts towards peace and stability. We want to give a very strong message that the Afghan people’s future is important to us, that we would like to enable peace and stability in Afghanistan to the best of our abilities, and we have been doing that at great cost to Pakistan.”
LTC Taylor,
DET, United States Central Command
www.Centcom.mil/Ur