Take up Pakistan's concerns with India: Sartaj Aziz to US

The team includes Defence Minister Khawaja Asif, Chief of General Staff Lt Gen Ishfaq Nadeem Ahmad and Pakistani Ambassador Jalil Abbas Jilani.  

The American side, led by Secretary of State John Kerry, includes Special Representative for Pakistan and Afghanistan James Dobbins and US Ambassador to Pakistan Richard Olson.  

Describing “mutual trust” as the most important prerequisite for the strategic partnership, Aziz asked the US to look at the legitimate national security concerns of Pakistan in Afghanistan.

He said legitimate US concerns on Afghanistan “must be balanced by giving due importance to Pakistan's own security concerns”. He added: “There is in fact need for a careful attention to the long term effects of US policies on Pakistan's security.

“I am sure, most of you will agree that historically, Pakistan's security concerns were not taken into account when the US decided to withdraw from Afghanistan in the early 1990s after the defeat of the Soviet forces with Pakistan's active support, or when it invaded Afghanistan after 9/11,” he said.

“If these important pre-requisites are met, then the contribution of other elements of this important relationship such as expanded trade, higher level of private investment, long term partnership on some major projects, will become far more significant and mutually reinforcing,” the top Pakistani leader said