ALI HUSSAIN

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and the United States on Monday discussed the “reciprocal” travel curbs on diplomats in each other countries with no progress; however, the two sides agreed to continue engagement.

Ambassador Alice Wells, the US Department of State’s Senior Bureau Official for the Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs, arrived here on an unannounced visit to the country and held talks with senior Pakistani authorities amid the latest diplomatic tension.

At the conclusion of the daylong visit, the US Embassy here issued a statement, saying that Ambassador Alice Wells visited Islamabad on Monday for meetings with Foreign Secretary Janjua and other senior officials.

In her meetings, it stated, she discussed the status of the United States’ South Asia strategy and efforts to make progress on regional security and stability.

It was Ambassador Wells’ third visit this year and unlike the past, no press statement was issued by the Foreign Office. However, sources in the Foreign Office maintained the two sides had a “good” meeting with a desire to continue the talks in search of “common ground.”

“There was no immediate progress on the issues on which the two sides have their own positions. But neither side is giving up in search of a common ground, which is positive development,” a source confided to this correspondent.

The sources further said that detailed discussions were held on new travel guidelines to be in placed on Pakistani diplomats from May 01, restricting movement of diplomats of Pakistan Embassy in Washington and consulates in other cities of the US within 40km of their postings.

Through an official communication conveyed to Pakistan, it has been stated that Pakistani diplomats in Washington and rest of the cities would require a formal permission of the State Department to travel beyond 40 kilometers radius of their posted locations.

“During the talks, the US side conveyed that the recent measures have been taken on reciprocal basis with a view that American diplomats are also not allowed to travel other cities in Pakistan,” the sources said.

Pakistan, however, briefed that the top US envoy that due to security reasons certain measures have been undertaken for all foreign diplomats under which they are required to take permission of the Foreign Office prior to traveling to other parts of the country.

The sources further said that the issue of a traffic accident involving the US Embassy Defense and Air Attaché Colonel Joseph also came under discussion and the visiting senior US diplomat was conveyed that Islamabad police are investigating the matter.

It was also conveyed that the government of Pakistan is pursuing the matter under Articles 31 and 32 of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations 1961 which inter-alia deal with diplomatic immunity.

Ambassador Wells was further told that the US diplomat will be treated under Pakistan’s Diplomatic and Consular Privileges Act 1972, which gives effect to the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations 1961 and Vienna Convention on Consular Relations 1963, the sources added.