US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said his country is concerned about Pakistan’s stability because of the presence of “too many terrorist groups” that use that territory to attack other countries.
“My opinion, and I expressed it to the leaders of Pakistan, is that we are also concerned about the stability and security of the Government of Pakistan,” Tillerson told a news conference in New Delhi after meeting with the Indian Foreign Minister , Sushma Swaraj.
Tillerson, who visited Islamabad yesterday on his tour of the region, said that these terrorist organizations “have grown, increased their strength and capacity” within the borders of Pakistan and this can lead to “a threat to their own stability”. country.
He said that during the meetings in the Pakistani capital, where he met with Prime Minister Shahid Khagan Abbasi and with army chief General Javed Bajwa, he maintained a “sincere and very open” exchange on the concerns the United States shares with its regional partners.
“There are too many terrorist organizations that find a safe place in Pakistan from which to conduct their operations and attacks against other countries,” he said.
In that sense, Tillerson transferred to the Pakistani authorities “certain expectations” about the treatment of these organizations and their leaders, and pointed out that an attempt is being made to establish a cooperation mechanism to share information and take actions that prevent these groups from attack others.
The Secretary of State added that no one is interested in the Pakistani Government being destabilized and therefore shares interest in “not only contain but ultimately eliminate these organizations” terrorists.
“We want to work with Pakistan in a positive way because we believe that it is also in the long-term interest,” he said.
Tillerson made his remarks after meeting with Swaraj during an official visit to India in which he reviewed bilateral and regional relations.
Before arriving in New Delhi, the head of US diplomacy was in Islamabad yesterday and the day before in Kabul, where he met with President Ashraf Gani.
Both India and Afghanistan have repeatedly accused Pakistan of allowing terrorist groups on its territory to attack both countries.
The trip follows a tightening of the White House’s speech to the Pakistani government and the presentation of the new US strategic plan for Afghanistan and South Asia.
The United States has strengthened its presence in Afghanistan by sending an additional 3,000 troops and eliminating a possible exit date from that country, while warning Pakistan that it had “a lot to lose” if it continues to “harbor” terrorists.
