The East-West Wire is a news, commentary, and analysis service provided by the East-West Center in Honolulu. Any part or all of the Wire content may be used by media with attribution to the East-West Center or the person quoted. To receive the East-West Center Wire, please contact John Lewis at (808) 944-7204 or EastWestWire@EastWestCenter.org.
HONOLULU (May 16) — Pakistan’s Los Angeles-based Consul General, the Honorable N.M Jadmani, described his country as having the distinction of being “the most allied ally and the most sanctioned ally of the United States.” He added that despite the “recurrent ups and downs” in the relationship, the “most enduring feature has been the friendship between the people of our two countries.”
Speaking at a luncheon forum at the East-West Center’s Hawaii Imin International Conference Center, the Pakistan envoy said the two countries were in an up period now. And, he said that was a good thing. “The Pakistan-U.S. relationship is pivotal both regionally and globally.” He continued, “Whenever Pakistan and the United States have acted together we have achieved tremendous success,” pointing to Islamabad’s cooperation with Washington during the former Soviet Union’s occupation of Afghanistan in the 1980s as one example.
On the downside, Jadmani noted, “Whenever we did not maintain and sustain a deep relationship both of our countries suffered negative consequences. We do not have to look too far to find evidence of this connection.” According to Jadmani, you only had to look across the border to Afghanistan … again. “The premature U.S. disengagement from Afghanistan following the Soviet withdraw extenuated the civil war and created the conditions threatening regional and global peace. Pakistan was left alone to pick up the pieces.” Referring to the subsequent raise of the Taliban in Afghanistan, he added, “We experienced the worst consequences of the drug and Kalashnikov culture.
But, Jadmani was quick to point out that Islamabad and Washington have worked through their difficulties and “have joined hands to defeat the forces of extremism and terrorism.” He added that the lessons of history had been learned, and that Pakistan and the United States “are moving away from the rollercoaster pattern of our past. Our engagement this time is for the long-term.”
The envoy noted, “Our (Pakistan and the United States) special relationship has not only revived since 9 — 11, but has also undergone a profound transformation,” moving beyond the war on terror and into the arenas of “defense, to the economy, to education, (and) to science and technology.”
Concerning peace and stability in South Asia, the Pakistan consul general said that was extremely important, as “South Asia is home to one-fifth of humanity.” He made it clear that Pakistan was ready to work toward that goal but noted, “it cannot be a one-way street.” And, Jadmani added “progress cannot go ahead without a solution to the Kashmir issue,” referring to the long-running and violent dispute between Pakistan and India over the Himalayan region claimed by both. But he added that Islamabad-New Delhi relations were improving both on a government-to-government and private basis.
Asked about Washington’s improving relations with New Delhi during a question-and-answer session, Jadmani pointed out “Pakistan-U.S. relations and Pakistan-Indo relations are two separate issues. It is not a zero sum game.” But, he did add, “U.S. involvement in both countries is quite hopeful.”
###
For daily news on the Pacific Islands, see www.pireport.org. For links to all East-West Center media programs, fellowships and services, see www.eastwestcenter.org/journalists