(AKI) - By Syed Saleem Shahzad - A dinner hosted by the Saudi King Abdullah for former Taliban leaders and members of the Islamic militant group, Hezb-E-Islami, in Mecca in September sought a solution to the recent resurgence of Taliban terrorism in Afghanistan and Pakistan.But well-placed sources have told Adnkronos International that the success of the dinner was confined to the quality of the delicious Arab cuisine.
Militants with real firepower in Afghanistan and Pakistan all refused to lay down their weapons. Now a jirga or tribal meeting will bring together Afghani MPs and Pakistani leaders in Islamabad early next week, as the new head of Pakistan's intelligence services, Lt. General Ahmed Shuja Pasha, meets CIA director Michael Hayden in Washington to discuss the escalation of the conflict.
The Pakistani Parliament has voted in favour of a gradual withdrawal of security forces from the tribal areas and emphasised the need for dialogue, as a US predator drone once again struck North Waziristan and killed several people.
Pasha and Hayden are expected to finalise the new terms for strategic cooperation aiming at killing or eliminating top Al-Qaeda leaders and at least four top Taliban commanders to defeat the insurgency. Immediately after the meeting of intelligence chiefs, top American military commander David Petraeus will visit Pakistan to finalise new regional military operations.
Pakistan's Ambassador to the US, Hussain Haqqani, spoke to AKI about the relationship between the two allies. "Pakistan and the United States are overcoming any differences that may have arisen in the recent past in all spheres," Hussain Haqqani said from Washington. "Pakistan and the US are close allies and strategic partners, and in our strategic partnership, military cooperation and intelligence cooperation are very important.
"It is unfortunate that in the recent past some doubts and misgivings have been expressed about cooperation in the intelligence field. We look forward to overcoming those differences in the days to come."
The dialogue initiative was a strong gesture that emanated from Saudi Arabia, and both Kabul and Islamabad were proactive in promoting dialogue through back channels at the behest of western coalition partners.
Powerful militant leaders, including Jalaluddin Haqqani, Baitullah Mehsud and Gulbadin Hekmatyar, warlord and leader of the Hezb-e Islami political party, were invited for talks and asked to stop the war and start negotiations. All three refused.
Hopes were high that former Afghan premier, Gulbadin Hekmatyar, a personal friend of President Hamid Karzai's would agree to dialogue. Such a move would have been a major breakthrough since over three-fifths of the Taliban force are comprised of former members of the radical Hezb-e-Islami group. The move could have split the Taliban led insurgency, but Hekmatyar firmly rejected the proposal.
Hekmatyar told Kabul that he would not negotiate until NATO troops left Afghanistan. Washington asked Islamabad to also engage in dialogue with Hekmatyar so that he could be distanced from the Taliban-led resistance. However, Hekmatyar refused to talk with the Pakistani administration led by President Ali Asif Zardari and described the whole military and political leadership as American proxies with whom he was not willing to talk. His reply has effectively shut the door on dialogue, despite the parliamentary vote.
When the intelligence chiefs conclude their talks in Washington next week, Petraeus is likely to be finalising a new strategy during his visit to Pakistan.